Little Sparrow
by Traidy
Summary: She couldn't remember where she was, or from where she came. Her mind was void of all, except blazing eyes that seemed to stare into her soul. She would do anything to get some answers.
1. Chapter 1

Undecided on a title. Anyone has any good ideas, shoot it to me in the reviews. I obviously don't own the rights, or there would have been a book, or six.

Enjoy.

* * *

Chapter 1

The noise. That's what was so overwhelming.

It seemed as if one minute, everything had been on mute, and now everything was just so loud!

The heat she could handle, the pressing bodies even.

There wasn't much light and any that did filter through the masses came from flames high above her head.

Bodies bumped into her, went through her on more than one occasion. Now that had been a peculiar feeling; like her innards suddenly froze, and tried to pull themselves along with the formless being, but were stopped by the confines of her skin.

She told herself to breathe. She could handle it all if only her lungs would take in air.  
But still, she did not take a breath.

Panicking, she grasped at her chest, ready to pound on her own body.

The tell tale burning had yet to start, and her heart didn't flutter from her panic.

At last, she inhaled heavily, and exhaled loudly, blowing the fringe from her face.

Thinking quickly, she shuffled around and past bodies until she was pressed somewhat uncomfortably against the wall of the nearest building.

From this vantage point, she could take in nearly everything.

She was looking for someone.

She couldn't remember where she had been headed, or from where she had come, or where she even was, but she knew she was waiting for someone.

She couldn't say that people rushed past her on the busy street. She supposed some were 'people'. Others looked like dancing and slinking shadows, still others looked like animals, or some form of animal. The variety of creatures that crowded around was astounding, never had she seen such types of creatures. At least she could not recall having ever seen such beings.

A few of the passing glanced at her, but did not slow their hurried pace.

How long had she waited?

She couldn't tell.

She gripped her shirt, shuffling her feet in nervousness, while trying to look above heads and limbs, for whoever she was waiting for.

They hadn't gotten lost, had they?

What if they were hurt?!

She began to panic again, gripping her arms tightly as if to hold herself together.

She gasped when an overly warm hand landed on her shoulder, stifling the scream that wanted to tear from her throat.

Instead she swallowed it and spun to face whoever it was.

The man was tall, she found herself nearly staring into his stomach.

Craning her head, she tried to find his face.

He wore a black kosodo and gray hakama with a thin black obi tied tightly around his hips. A short black saya was thrust through the thin obi at his hip, red braided silk hung from the hilt of the weapon. It was hard to make out his form from the shadows that surrounded them, although if she looked close enough, it looked as if his skin glowed in the darkness.

He was pale skinned, and as her gaze worked up his neck towards his face, she had to remind herself that staring was rude.

But she still took her time studying his face once she got there. His hair fell around his ears in varying shades of red and orange, clouding her view of his eyes. Despite that, her stomach clenched when she made eye contact. He was staring at her, his molten eyes burning away every bit of oxygen within her body. She felt as if she would spontaneously burst into flames.

His eyes were liquid gold, constantly swirling, burning.

And they were pinned to her.

She did not miss the prominent frown on his face either.

"Are you lost child?"

She blinked at him, not realizing he had spoken. His voice was sharp, and if she was honest, a bit painful to listen to. He had to speak loud to be heard over the noise of the street, perhaps that was what made it so painful to hear.

"Are you lost?" He had leaned in closer this time, but had not spoken any quieter. Her ears rung with his voice. But she gathered her wits and answered him.

"I am waiting for someone." It came out a whisper, hoarse and scratchy as if she had not used her voice in years. He seemed to have no trouble hearing her though.

His hard gaze softened, only slightly, and he took her elbow.

"I will have someone wait here for them. A child should not be out on the street this late. Come, you can rest in my home." His gripped tightened a bit as he spoke, but instead of pulling her along, he stepped closer, his body nearly pressed along hers.

She thought for sure her face would melt from the heat of her blush; that is, if they heat radiating from him didn't do so first.

"What're you-" She rasped. She lost her voice when the world shifted around them. Someone had placed the mute on again, and the world spun by in a blurry mess. If she looked at it, she would surely be sick. Already her stomach was rolling.

His body and her own, they were the only things to stay similar, seemingly unmoving.

She closed her eyes, thinking of keeping her stomach in one place, thinking of how very warm this man was, and most especially who she was waiting for.

Opening her eyes, she realized they were standing in a large hall that was elaborately decorated in gold plated mirrors and statues. The walls and ceiling were cream colored and all the furniture was in a honey colored wood. She stared at her bare feet, the floor a marble looking stone that was polished to a shine.

"Master Kōsen! We did not expect you back so soon!" A slim woman with gray hair came scurrying out of a door way. She made to take the man's boots, but he shooed her away.

That's when the woman noticed her.

The woman's aged face scowled at her.

"Oh Master, another stray." The woman sighed, but seemed resigned.

"She is waiting for someone. Please set her up with a room." This time, when the man spoke, it was much quieter. His voice was melodious now, breathy and light. The woman bowed and spoke quietly to another young girl.

She found him staring her down again. She couldn't keep his gaze. He seemed to burn so brightly from within.

"What is your name?" He continued. She found she had to think about it. What was her name? He did not seem perturbed by this at all.

"Who is it you are looking for?"

This time, her mouth moved without hesitation.

"Kohaku." The man blinked slowly at her, his sharp mouth turned down and his brow wrinkled. His eyes squinted, as if he was staring into the sun.

Just as soon, his face cleared and he nodded once.

"I see. He will not be this way for some time. I shall send a messenger, but it may take a while for him to receive a missive."

She frowned, pulling at her shirt, glaring at the ground.

"I can not remember why I'm waiting. I think we said we would meet, but I can't remember." She sighed, putting a hand to her empty head. He reached a hand out, nearly brushing her cheek, but hesitated, then retreated. Her skin felt scalded just from the nearness. Heat pooled off him in waves.

"Do not bother getting angry with yourself. It will return in time. For now, rest." With a slight bow, he burned out of existence.  
She screamed, shielding her face with her hands, and then looked for something to put him out. By the time she had grabbed a cloth from a side table and turned back, all that was left was a pile of ashes with the sword and saya lying underneath it all.

She did not know whether to cry or scream again. Her knees shook, and she realized tears slipped down her scorched cheeks.

She glanced towards the older woman, who merely seemed irritated with the remains. Gently, as if fearing her movement alone would make the ashes blow away, she knelt, reaching for the pile.

"I would not do that girl. You'd come away a few fingers short." She glanced at the woman again. This time the woman gazed upon her with pity.

The woman bent over and took her roughly by the elbow.

"Come now. Master Kōsen ordered a room be made ready for you." The woman, with more strength than she thought possible, yanked her to her feet and led her through a door.

"What about...?" She turned to gaze at the rapidly disappearing pile. They made a sharp turn, and ascended a steep set of stairs.

"Oh, he over extended himself. Always taking in strays, as if he doesn't have enough to worry about." The woman glanced at her, never slowing her pace.

"We'll just have to wait to see about you. Who did you say you sought? Oh never-mind, I'm sure your brains are egg." She didn't know how to take that.

Suddenly they stopped in front of a door, which opened without being touched.

"This will be your room for now. Once Master Kōsen has rested, you will be summoned for assigning. Rest until then, the work will be hard, but it will give you purpose." The woman had rushed her into the room, pointing out a set of neatly folded clothes.

The woman continued to babble on while she changed and picked through a bowl of cool fruit.

"He has taken you off the street, but you need a purpose or you'll just lose your way again." The woman sighed and took her face in her hands.

"Your memories, they will return with time, or they won't. Best to just move on and deal with all of that when it comes." The woman stepped back, turning to leave.

"My name is Tuskete. I manage Master Kōsen's homes. You are not to leave this room. If I find you wandering about, I will lock you in. Rest well." The woman spun out of the door, which closed nearly on her tail end.

* * *

All she wanted to do was remember.

Who was she?

What was her name?

Where did she belong?

Certainly not in this fancy room with its dark wood floors and skillfully painted screens.

She did not feel lost, she felt left behind.

There was a yawning gape in her that seemed to stretch for ever.

And what of that man? Master Kōsen. He had burst into flames for gods sake!

Where was she?

Who was she?

She walked to the mirror over the vanity, leaning onto the table.

Her face was the same as it had always been, round and full, her eyes big and brown. Her hair was messily kept up in in a pony tail with a shimmering purple band.

Sighing, and rubbing her head again, she sat on the bed next to her dirty clothes.

The oversized white and green stripped shirt had been just a gift from a distant uncle who knew nothing about her, but it was better than some of the clothes her mother bought for her. It had been comfortable to wear on the long drive...

Long drive? To where?

The memory slipped through her fingers like water.

The harder she tried to remember, the emptier her head became.

* * *

Not tired in the least, and frustrated, she jumped up. The tunic and pants she wore were simple and of a thick material. It took the bite out of the frosty air.

Settling near the window, she looked out on the city.

The streets were still all hustle and bustle. The main roads were brightly lit with flames on high poles. The sky above them was inky black and pressed down on top of the heads, as if only kept at bay by the flickering fire.

She must have been down one of those side alleys. They were not as brightly lit, some shrouded in pure darkness.

Most swerved around those alleys as much as possible, yet there were those who willingly strode straight into the darkness, their steps never faltering.

She felt scared for them, a shiver racing down her back.

To think she may have been in one of those alleyways, what kind of creature did business there? Instinctively she knew that she had been in danger if she had wander there longer than she had.

She had to thank Master Kōsen. He had potentially saved her life.

But that raised the question, what was he doing there?

Sleep did not come at all that night. She was restless, her very bones felt electrified with energy as if she had been sleeping for days.

And she kept worrying.

Where was this 'Kohaku'? Where was she?

Could she trust Master Kōsen?

Why could she not remember much of anything?

Had she been in an accident?

She spent hours going around and around until she felt physically sick.

* * *

In the early hours of the morning, a knocking preceded the door opening. She could only stare in shock at the tiny creature that came in balancing a tray of food.

"Are you a frog?" She murmured. It was no taller than her knees, and was a bright red color with small black spots.

The frog thing glared at her, but said nothing, noisily dropping the tray onto a low table. He made to leave the room, but stopped in the door way.

"Breakfast. A bath is being prepared, someone will return when it is ready."

And then she was alone again.

The bath room was all shined black stone with a huge tub sunk into the center of the steamy room.

Images flashed before her eyes. Water pouring from a spout in the wall, heady and strong with herbs. Flecks of water splashed into her face and on her toes. She was standing on the edge of a massive tub. The steam made the back of her neck sweat.

The memories faded again, slipping through her fingers once more.

A young.. girl?... helped her undress and ushered her into the waiting water.

The girl's work was brisk and silent. She kept her eyes down and her hands busy. With pursed lips, she then yanked her out of the water and scrubbed her with a dry towel.

She didn't want to be rude, but really, she could wash herself.

Gritting her teeth against the rough treatment, she closed her eyes, trying to find her memories. The emptiness was vast, a massive monster hiding in her head, waiting to devour her.

A pair of fierce eyes stared from the emptiness, saurian and deep green. They stood out like two emerald lamps blazing in the darkness.

She shivered, opening her eyes back to the bath room. Seeing just those eyes staring back at her, it made her nervous.

But it was something.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

She was back in her room. She tried to sleep, but every time she closed her eyes, those green eyes were there. So she took to pacing.

Lunch was brought by the same frog, and she tried to apologize. The creature didn't even recognize that it had heard her.

She was desperate to find something to do, anything. It was by sheer will alone that she didn't go wandering about. Instead, she spent hours staring out the window, watching the streets begin to fill as the sun started to set.

Shops became colorful windows lining the sidewalks. She never seemed to notice anyone carrying a great deal of bags though.

Sighing, she laid her head down on her crossed arms, trying to identify creatures as they moved past.

"If you sleep there, you will fall. I don't fancy having to put you back together after I have only just saved you." A breathy voice tickled her ear.

With a startled yelp, she spun, finding her face mere inches from Master Kōsen's. She gulped.

His eyes weren't any less striking, but the small smile softened his face a great deal.

After staring her in the eyes for what felt like an eternity, he leaned back, settling into a chair that had not been there moments before.

"You're looking better." He sighed. She stood abruptly, and bowed at the waist.

"Thank you for saving me, Master Kōsen. And thank you for your hospitality." She stayed bowing until a warm hand on her shoulder pulled her upright.

"I am not as benevolent as I seem child. I have selfish reasons for what I do." He replied with a smile, gesturing for her to sit. She perched herself on the windowsill.

"I'm sure you have questions, but something more important must be handled first. You need a job-" And just like that, she was sucked into a memory,

" _I want to work here!"_ The big headed woman in a blue dress was telling her to be quiet, to leave. There was a baby crying. And then a paper and pen were floating toward her.

She blinked.

Master Kōsen was staring at her, obviously realizing she was not paying him any attention.

"What did you remember?" He asked calmly.

She had to pause, and think about her next words.

"Are you going to take my name?" She demanded with a frown. She could not even remember her name!

A sly smile spread across his face.

"I would need to know it to take it. I purpose, since I assume you can not remember it..." He waited for her to answer, and when she didn't, he continued. "We shall have to give you a new name, until you remember your own, of course." The sly smile never slipped from his mouth.

She pursed her lips, trying to remember why she did not want him to have her name. She stared off out the window, trying to force herself to remember. All it succeeded in doing was giving her a headache.

"The truth of the matter is, to remain corporeal, you must have a purpose. If you continue to slip in and out of the planes of existence, you will continue to lose yourself bit by bit." He paused, leaning back into his chair, rubbing a hand over his face.

"I am obligated to offer a job to those who ask, an oath I still resent taking, although I did not have much choice. I can not force a job on you, you must ask for one." He sighed when she did not respond, crossing his legs.

"I can afford to give you a few days to make your decision, but no more than that. And that headache may only increase in that time." His gaze was lazy as she turned to stare him down. How had he known her head hurt?

She still had so many questions. Nothing had been answered, no explanation. Why had he been down that alley? Why had she been there? Who had see been waiting for?

Closing her eyes, those emerald eye burned the back of her eyelids. She felt like she was being swallowed whole, that she was being consumed by a dangerous creature, a predator.

She opened her eyes again, nearly unable to tear herself from the fierce gaze.

"I will leave you for now. I will call for you in three days time. I must have your decision by then." He rose gracefully, a jacket settling over his shoulders. She had to wonder if it had always been there, or if it had suddenly appeared.

"Do try and get some sleep." With these words, he was gone. She blinked, staring at the spot he had been mere moments prior.

Had she imagined him?

A hard knock at the door signified dinner was there.

* * *

Sleep was pulling at her mind, demanding she succumb, but those eyes, they continued to burn in her head.

When at last she fell into sleep, it was fitful and dream filled.

 _She gazed about the room. One half of the spacious area was bathed in sunlight that poured in from the open shoji screens. The other half was dim and noticeably cooler. Three people occupied the room, but seemed to not notice her._

 _The first creature she laid eyes (for how could anyone miss a woman of that size!) was an older looking woman clad in a navy blue dress, frills and all. A huge wart took center place of the woman's forehead, and the nose reminded her of a bird's beak._

 _No one was speaking, the woman had her eyes closed and was leaning back into a low crouching chair. The next person to grab her attention was a willowy female wearing a bright colored kimono. The woman was kneeling quietly on a pillow gazing steadily out the shoji screens. Her dark hair was pinned up with a strikingly ornate pin that glittered a blue as bright as the sky. This woman shifted her weight, but otherwise did not move._

 _She did not see the final occupant until he spoke._

" _What is it Yubaba, I am busy." He growled._

 _She nearly jumped in her skin, searching from where the voice came. His form was hunched over a dark wood desk, reading over stacks of paper. His seemingly dark hair shrouded his face, keeping it from view. His skin was impossibly pale, and his clothes immaculate._

 _The large woman answered him._

" _My sister says she is here again, her spirit is on this plane again." And just like magic words, his whole posture changed. His back went stiff and his hands clenched tightly._

 _At last, she could see his face. She didn't know why she needed to so badly, why every cell in her body demanded she need only see him._

 _His face was sharp; strong cheek bones and nose. His hair settled on either side of his face, framing those eyes. The ones that peered at her whenever she closed her own. She made to step forward, reaching out to touch him, to see if he was real. To put a face, a person, to those fierce eyes; but her feet could not move. They were glued to the floor, her arms glued to her sides._

" _I do not have time for your games witch." He seethed, apparently unhappy with what the woman had said._

 _The large woman slowly opened her eyes, but would not meet the man's glare._

" _I suppose Zeniba could be wrong; unlikely, but possible." She commented with a shrug. "After all, my sister can never pinpoint where her spirit is despite that charm. I just thought you may want to lend some power to the search, you certainly have plenty to spare." This time, the large woman did meet his face and the two squared off._

 _It was a tense few minutes before the man seemed to deflate against his chair with a sigh. With a casual wave of his thin boned fingers, the room seemed to grow a tad brighter, and then just like that, the difference was gone._

" _Zeniba will have to guide it, I do not kid when I say I am busy. If there is nothing else, please leave." The man sighed again, gazing down at his fingers on the desk._

 _The large woman almost looked as if she had more to say, but thought better of it._

" _Very well, I will see you in a few days to go over finances." With no effort at all, she floated out of the chair and onto her feet, gave him a brief nod that he returned, then marched out of the room._

 _It was silent._

 _No breathing, no speaking, no moving._

 _Nothing happened save some stray wind fluttering the papers on the desk, but they did not go far._

 _The young woman kneeling glanced at the man who had yet to move from his downcast position._

 _It was a moment longer before the woman found her words._

" _Who is it you are looking for?" Her quiet words sounded like thunder in the room, startling the man. He looked her over, then picked up his seal, stamping an envelop._

" _Just a lost girl." He did not elaborate and the woman seemed to understand she would get no more information. A cross look decorated her pretty features at she continued to study the man while he worked. Her lips pursed, and a crease appeared between her brow._

 _Without so much as a cursory glance, the man gently said to her "Jealously is not becoming, Nise."_

 _The words may have had no malice behind them, but the woman reacted like she had been slapped. The look of shock was quickly replaced by a mask of indifference. She turned to continue staring out the shoji screens._

" _Master Ame should have been back by now." She commented lightly, folding her hands neatly in her lap._

 _This time, it was the man who seemed cross, a scowl touching his features before that too was swept away to indifference._

" _He will return when convenient to him." The man replied._

 _The room was silent once again._

 _This was all very confusing. Who were these people? Why did she have such a strong inclination to speak with the man and why did his eyes reflect in her head?_

 _The room slowly faded into darkness, and she let it, hoping her mind would receive a reprieve from all the questions that threatened to overwhelm her._

At last, a restful sleep overcame her.

* * *

When at last her eyes opened, the sun shone brilliantly in the room. She had nearly forgotten where she was, but the previous day came slinking back into memory. Nothing of her past came with it unfortunately.

Closing her eyes once more, she studied the emerald eyes that stared back, They did not blink, they did not move.

Her intent was to lie in bed awhile longer, to enjoy the sanctuary of her current shelter, and to decide if she wanted to work for Master Kōsen.

She had no reason not to. He had been everything a savior should be; pleasant, gracious, unassuming, and honest.

Nearly to a fault; she distinctly remembered him saying that his offer of aid was not entirely unselfish. What could he want with her? If she asked, would he answer, truthfully? What would be her job?

These new questions are what spurred her to pull the covers over her face once more, and to bury her hands in the pillows.

But there seemed to be a renewed energy about her, as if the very air surrounding her being was charged. Every muscle twitched, itching to be used; her blood pumping strongly through her body. Without really thinking about it, she threw the covers to the floor and jumped up.

Immediately, she began pacing, ignoring the tray of food that was sitting on the dresser cold.

Did it really matter what time she rose? She couldn't leave this room anyway.

She couldn't quite remember what she had dreamed of; just like her memories, when she tried to recall, the details slipped away from her like water.

But the eyes that burned in the back of her mind, she had seen them in a face. That was the most she could recall.

She flopped down on the bed and pulled the covers over herself again.

Everything else felt wafty, like she was sure of a detail one moment, then doubting herself the next. Were there two women with him, or was it three? Where there shoji screens or glass windows?

Her memories liked to skip around, narrowly avoiding her grasp.

Pulling the blanket back down, she sprung up quickly, shoving her hands harshly against the window frame until it burst open.

Taking in as large of a breath as her lungs could manage, she reveled in the warmth of the sun against her skin.

The faint trace of sandalwood and salt lingered in her nostrils. She sniffed about, trying to pin point it's location, but all she could smell was the waste of the burning lamps from the night previous.

Sighing, she slouched in the windowsill.

* * *

She sat there for an undetermined amount of time, enjoying the sun, enjoying the simplicity.

"You're unlikely to tan, there is no point in laying like a cat..." His voiced startled her, but she merely turned to study him. His popping in and out, she might be getting familiar with it.

He seemed to be regarding her curiously.

"You _aren't_ a _cat_... are you?" His voice was almost overly painful now, shrill and chirp like.

She certainly didn't _feel_ like a cat, nor did she look like one. She wasn't a cat was she?

"No, no. That's silly. I would have smelled you. Only thing worse than Humans are Cats." He sighed, leaning back into the chair that shimmered into existence.

An ugly, searing, pang echoed in her stomach. She keeled over, grasping the wall to hold her to her feet.

This time, the memory slammed hard between her eyes.

" _A human!?" A green frog floating in a black bubble. A thin hand holding tightly to her own. The rush of wind past her ears._

" _Three days of eating our food and her smell will wear off." A crowd of...people..? Polished hard floors, and pink uniforms. A sweet smelling wax, and a very 'fish' smelling steam, blended together to confuse the senses._

She was sucked back into her body violently. She was grasping the wall for purchase, and gasping for air.

Master Kōsen had not moved a muscle, his eyes closed and his face passive. He said nothing as she calmed her breathing and slid to a sitting position.

"Those headaches must be near unbearable." He murmured quietly. She pressed the side of her face into the smooth wood of the wall in an attempt to ground herself. Oddly enough, she didn't have a headache. In fact, she hadn't had one since she woke up.

But she said nothing.

She had so many questions, wanted so many answers.

She wanted answers to questions she didn't have.

But she said nothing.

The silence stretched on.

He waited for her to ask the questions, and she waited for him to supply answers. But neither were willing to budge in their weird stalemate.

"To give you a name will take quite a bit of effort; and can only be undone if you remember your true name. You will be required to work within my household unless I willfully, verbally, give you away. Those will be the binding conditions under the spell." He said in a business like tone. His hard gaze, and firm words drove her to finally open her mouth.

"Will I be mindless, like that frog?" Her teeth clacked shut and a light blush dusted her cheeks in embarrassment. She had not meant to be so pert, or to talk negatively about the worker.

But Master Kosen just laughed.

"No, no. You will have full control of your facilities. He _is_ mindless, but it is because I have little patience for fools. Since you are no fool," He gave her a pointed look before continuing. "I should have little interest in controlling your mind." He waved his hand nonchalantly. "Besides, your brains are already pretty scrambled. No use mucking up what isn't working yet, you might never feel normal again." He flashed her a grin when she muttered 'what's normal?'.

He was lounged out in the chair, a blanket now draped over his body.

"As much as I enjoy these pleasantries, I do have things I need to attend to. Have you any pertinent questions?"

She couldn't hold his gaze for long. His burning, molten eyes threatened to sear her to where she sat. Instead, she turned to look out at the dimming sun.

"What will I be doing?" Her voice was still a breathy whisper, like her vocal chords forgot how to work.

He raised the blanket to momentarily cover his mouth, before letting it fall.

"I haven't decided yet. I don't know what you're good at. Any ideas?"

She frowned, shaking her head. Then words burst from her mouth before she could think.

"I'm terrible at scrubbing tubs."

She half expected him to ignore her like he had early; but on the contrary, his eyes jumped to hers, pinning her in place. His whole body moved, he leaned forward out of his chair, gripping the arm rests in straining fingers.

"Spent some time scrubbing tubs, did we now? Interesting, interesting. Recall anything about this 'friend' you were waiting for?" His words were calloused, and angry. She wanted to shy away, but her muscles were locked into place.

"I am curious, I know of only one 'Kohaku' on this plane; how is it a little lost spirit such as yourself came to know his name, hmmmm?" He was nearly leaning over her coward form, the room felt like thousand degrees hotter. His skin almost looked as if it was drying, cracking, ready to peel from his body.

Her eyes watered, and her heart thundered in her chest. His blazing eyes pinpointed the jumping pulse in her throat, and he casually leaned back into his chair.

The room dropped back to a few degrees short of stifling.

He ran a hand through his already mussed hair.

"I apologize." He crooned. "I some times get a bit too invested in... things... and find it difficult to rein myself in." She could merely nod, her weary gaze never leaving his form.

"I should go, you should rest." And with out another noise, him, his chair, and the blanket were gone from sight.

The only thing that attested to his being there was a scorch mark marring the perfect floor.

* * *

It felt as if it took the rest of the day for her heart to settle into a steady, slow rhythm. Every noise threatened to send her over the edge again.

It did not take a fool to understand the power that flowed off Master Kōsen was dangerous, that _he_ was dangerous.

Did she want to work under this man? Did she have a choice? What would happen if she declined? He said something about disappearing.

She held her hand up to the fading light, watching as the last rays of sunshine were blocked out by her very solid form.

What did it feel like to disappear? Would she know it was happening? Would it hurt?

Master Kōsen had been kind to her up until that moment. He had brought her in off the street, had offered her a place to sleep and food; and now, he offered her work.

 _Could_ she turn him down? She had no idea who she was, or where she was, or how she even got here. It was all a fuzz in her mind, like a billion little birds chirping and flapping their wings at once. Everything shifted and folded over on itself, and blurred. If she tried to reach out, tried to touch anything, the darkness moved out of its way, only to fill in the spots she wasn't looking.

Would this be what she disappeared in to? Could she spend forever there?

No.

She desperately wanted to remember.

Who was she? Where did she belong? Was anyone looking for her?

She needed to know the answers to all of her questions, she needed them now!

But, she was unlikely to get them; maybe not ever.

So she had to decide, no more waiting.

She would take his offer; what choice did she have anyway?

Laying back on the bed, she ignored the door opening, ignored the food placed on the table. She had no interest in any of it right now.

She was going to sign her life away, but she needed to find a reason.

The reason came instantly.

She would find out who this 'Kohaku' was.

With a tense nod, she rolled over and buried her head in the pillows.


	3. Chapter 3

A short one, didn't want to cram too much into one chapter.

Original works belong to Miyazaki, I'm just borrowing.

* * *

Chapter Three

"I'll sign, just show me." He regarded her calmly over his tea cup. She had barged into his office with no notice, demanding a contract. With a flick of his fingers, a pen and papered floated towards her.

"You're name is Chisana Suzume, now. Make your mark."

With a frown, and a firm nod, she scratched out the kanji for the given name. It wasn't pretty by any means, and if read quickly, wouldn't even pass for writing.

The pen dissolved in her fingers and the paper tugged away from her, trailing lazily to his out reached hand.

"Answer me Suzume!" A thrill shot up her spin as her body forcibly straightened.

"Yes sir!" He smiled lightly, taking a sip from his cup.

She half waited, the bubbling feeling of a memory trying to surface, trying to force through the fog of her mind. But it sat just under the surface, never able to break through. The anticipation was brutal, the let down was almost worse.

"Under you new name, your memories will struggle to break through. An unfortunate side effect. They may never return while under this new name, or may just take much longer to reach you. Be kind to yourself, don't try to remember. You will only drive yourself mad."

She nodded. It was difficult to try and suppress the urge to delve further into something she _wanted_ more than anything.

"You called, Master Kōsen?" Tuskete bowed quietly.

Master Kōsen gently placed his cup down, leveling his glowing eyes at Suzume.

"This girl has signed a contract, set her up with a job." She felt a repressed shudder echo through her. A memory pushed so hard against the confines of her smokey mind that she was nearly sick. A brief flash of a huge woman in a blue dress, a long fragrant cigarette, and the cool breeze of someone entering the room.

" _You called?"_

Quick steps and the quiet 'whirring' of an elevator.

" _Address me as Master Haku."_ The sinking feeling of being completely alone.

She wanted to turn, to glance at her companion. He was taller than her, not by much, but enough to seem in control. He could make things better, or could he?

Shaking her head, she returned to Tuskete and Master Kōsen staring at her.

She felt her mouth moving before her mind was made up.

"You won't take Master Haku's name, will you?" She gripped the front of her clothes tightly, digging her toes into the wooden floor. The room heated a few degrees, but nothing over unbearable. Tuskete sent her a glare. Master Kōsen gripped his cup so tightly between his fingers that finally the fine porcelain broken into tiny tinkling pieces.

"No..." He paused. It looked as if he was having trouble taking in air between his clenched teeth. His voice was once more high and painful when he spoke again.

"Grudgingly, I could not take his name, even if I tried." She watched him visibly swallow, adjusting the collar of his overcoat.

"Now enough of this nonsense. Tuskete, please escort our new employee to her area." Tuskete took a firm hold of her arm and practically dragged her away.

* * *

"I'm undecided on whether you are truly foolish or have a death wish." Tuskete hissed after they had passed along several halls.

She didn't get the chance to defend herself before they stopped abruptly.

A woman, tall and willowy, with crowds of younger girls, stood before them. She was regal, in her stiff kimono, fan covering her powdered face.

Sharp dark eyes peered out from over the fan. There seemed to be no white to distinguish where the pupils ended. She was resplendent in bright colors, her dark hair curling down her back.

The girls lined up behind her never brought their gazes from the floor, and bowed their tiny perfect heads in unison.

Tuskete dropped low, tugging on Suzume's arm to do the same. She reluctantly did so, but was unable to pull her eyes away.

The woman and her queue floated past without so much as a whisper.

And then Tuskete had them rushing off once more.

"Who was that?" Suzume huffed, trying to keep up, trying to look back and catch a glimpse of the beautiful woman.

"Sa-me. She is one of the clients here, a dangerous woman. Best stay out of her path as much you can. Here, you will change clothes." Tuskete handed her a thick white bundle of clothes. "You'll start today in laundry. See how good some physical work does you."

* * *

At the end of the night, when she followed the rest of the girls working to their quarters, she stood off the to side, looking for a space to claim as her own.

Her shoulder was bumped lightly. She glanced quickly to see whose path she had stepped into. Dull green eyes peered through thick bangs.

"You'll never get a spot if you stand there." Suzume gripped her arms.

"Emi..." A girl her age that had recently started working as well. Emi rolled her eyes, grabbing her hand and pulling her along.

"Keep your head low, your eyes averted." Emi's words of 'advice' echoed through her head as she lay down. Her fingers were raw, and her back ached. Could she get through another day?

"It doesn't get much easier, but you get used to it." Emi murmured into her blanket.

What did she learn about herself today? She needed to learn one thing about herself each day.

With a sigh, she shuffled down further in her futon.

What did she learn about herself today?

She looked at all the faces around her that were nestled down for sleep.

Her eyes felt gritty despite the steam of the laundry she spent all day around, and she sniffed back a few tears.

She learned that even in a room full of 'people', she felt entirely out of place.

* * *

~Three Years Later~

"Suzume! Suzume!" She whipped around at the call of her name, her honey colored uniform fluttering around her. She bowed her head in acknowledgment to the girl who took the still warm towels from her hands, then darted off to find the voice.

Tuskete was peering around a doorway, and the moment she caught sight of her, the old woman rushed to meet her.

"Master Kōsen wants you to greet today. He says some special guests are to arrive, but he does not know when." Tuskete rushed. Suzume had hardly ever seen the woman out of breath, let alone this undone.

"You must not mess this up girl, now hurry!" Without a backwards glance, she rushed off to the front entrance. With a wave to Emi and Yozura, she entered the front foyer with a deep breath. The heat from the outside penetrated this far and no further, and it was suddenly stifling.

It didn't help that Master Kōsen stood front and center. She dropped immediately to a crisp bow, her hair flipping over her head.

He gave a little chuckle, patting her gently.

"Hello Suzume. Punctual as always."

He stepped towards the desk, fingering through the papers there.

From the corner of her vision, she watched as the curtains rustle in a nonexistent breeze before parting.

"Welcome to the Ni~Tsu no nokori teishi honored guest." She intoned with a low bow.

She straightened up in time to see the graceful form of a woman enter.

"Welcome back Lady Sa-me." Master Kōsen bowed lightly to the woman. Lady Sa-me had half a dozen girls trailing quietly behind her. "Your rooms are ready, I shall send for Madchen to assist you..." He stopped speaking when the woman fluttered the ever present fan in front of her face, raised a hand, and gently jabbed a finger in the direction of Suzume. She frozen, her hands half up to defend against an attack that surely wouldn't happen.

"Suzume is currently busy, wouldn't you prefer your normal girl?" Again, the woman jabbed a finger in her direction. Master Kōsen leveled Suzume with a serious look, his golden eyes drilling her.

Her heart started to climb into her throat.

She had heard the tales, and seen the marks on Madchen's body. This woman was cruel, and rough, to the girls who serviced her. Madchen was hearty, from a colder land called Germany. She had been the only one to put up with the lady. She came away with less and less marks every time the woman visited. Madchen claimed it was because she made less mistakes.

Suzume dropped to a sharp bow, her hair flipping over her head once more.

"Forgive me great Lady, but I am not trained sufficiently. I'm not nearly as graceful and quiet as Madchen, I would only add stress to your journey." She stayed low, watching the fabric of Lady Sa-me's kimono drop a she return her hand to it's folds. She only raised her eyes as Master Kōsen gave the woman another slight bow and the group moved on. She spied Madchen in the hall the woman descended down in, offering her arm to the lady.

Her back started to ache from the held bow, but she didn't dare stand until Master Kōsen settled his hand on her shoulder.

"Quick thinking like that will get you out of many a difficult situation." It was high praise coming from him.

"I've called you here, I want you to greet and help a guest that will be arriving. She is very important, you must do everything in your power to make her happy." He crowded her, his warmth near unbearable.

He turned sharply to glare at Tuskete who had appeared by his elbow.

"What do you need?" He chirped. She made no pleasantries, jumping right to the point.

"We are out of stock of dried eel." Suzume didn't know what this meant, but apparently Master Kōsen did. He rubbed a hand across his face.

"Send one of the kitchen staff to get some-" Tuskete cut him off stating that they all had already started preparation for dinner and could not leave, that the girls in laundry were all taking care of the tubs of lye and water, and that all the other service girls were busy waxing the upper floors.

He growled, although it came out more of a trill.

He made a 'U' design mid-air with his fingers, pulling the top closed like tightening a knot. A dark brown bag, the size of her palm appeared. It floated before her, waiting until she held her hand out to drop. It was heavy with coin, a blazing bird stitched into the front.

"I guess it can not be helped. Go, Suzume. Be quick, perhaps you'll be back in time." He sighed, muttering about the fates being against him.

She started off, but had to double back to Tuskete and Master Kōsen. They stared at her questioningly.

"What's dried eel look like?" She asked.


	4. Chapter 4

Sorry for any typos, I'm typing this on a tablet currently. I'm thinking of making Friday my upload day. I'll see how it works out with my schedule.

Leave reviews, please. Constructive criticism is always welcomed.

Thanks for reading!

* * *

Chapter Four

By the time she had made it back to the House, the guest Master Kōsen wanted her to greet had come and gone, and apparently on not so nice terms.

She lay quietly next to Emi who had been asleep for some time. The laundry girls only had to work during daylight hours when the majority of the guests were sleeping. Service girls, like her, got up around mid day, and didn't return to sleep until nearly dawn. Tuskete had decided she was a better errand girl than a cleaner, although she pretty much got thrown where the most help was needed. It was getting cold, the winter season was right around the corner.

More and more guests would be arriving. They would be making their way to the Bath House for the winter solstice. The Ni~Tsu no nokori teishi was an inn for those traveling great distances. They could find temporary rest here, for a fee of course. There were no grand baths for the guests, so often times the rooms would be filthy, or damaged, or worse still, have a polluted aurora around it. It took forever to cleanse a room of negative emotions. She was one of the few it didn't not physically affect, but it still left her in a morose state for days.

Closing her eyes, she willed herself to sleep.

 _The room was dark. It took her a minute to realize she was not any place she knew._

" _Brooding is not your strong suit, Haku." She hadn't even realized there were people here. Turning slowly, she spied that large woman again. The one in the blue dress with the large wart on her face. This woman was constantly in her dreams, but at times she was kindly with a gentle voice, other times she was crude and loud. This time, she seemed to want to be kinder. The woman was tidying some papers on a far desk, her back to the center of the room, to Suzume. The room was cold, yet she could not see her breath._

" _I let her go, she moved on." The whisper was startling, anguished. Her head whipped around to find it's speaker. He was leaning against a balcony, the shoji screens all open to allow the moonlight to spill in. His back was tense, his hands wrapped around the wood that creaked in protest._

" _So why does her ghost tease me?" She wanted to reach out to him, to comfort him, but her feet stayed glued to the spot she was in. In fact, despite the bitter coldness that radiated through the room, her legs burned, as if scorched by fire. The woman's shoes made quiet 'clicks' as she crossed the space, pausing next to Suzume momentarily, before moving on._

" _Some times, the heart never forgets." Her heart thundered in time with those words. It was painful, agonizing. She wanted to rip her heart out of her chest. It burned and seemed to grow six sizes too large for her breast. She grasped at her chest, trying to pull her clothes away from her throat, feeling like she was suffocating_

"Wake up!" Her head slammed down against the wood floor sending stars before her eyes. Instinctively, she sat up, cradling the sore spot.

"Go get Master Kōsen! She's frozen!"

Blearily looking around, she saw all the faces of the girls she shared a room with, and the surprisingly concerned face of Tuskete. The slamming of a screen door alerted her that someone darted off.

"I'm fine." She was able to mutter. Tuskete shook her.

"Hardly, you are frozen through! What happened!?" As the older woman spoke, she wrapped Suzume in the blanket surrounding them.

"Frozen and soaked, gods above child, what were you doing?!" True to what Tuskete said, she _was_ soaked, and cold. Her teeth chattered, and her fingers were numb.

"I was dreaming."

* * *

Sunrise found her sitting in a heap in Master Kōsen's office, surrounded on all sides by blankets. The fire had been stoked to near searing levels, and he sat idly nearby on a cushion, filling out some papers.

"Are you going to tell me yet?" He murmured, his voice nearly drowned out by the roar of the flames. He was not bothered one bit by the closeness of the fire, or the intensity. His skin neither sweated nor reddened unlike she, who was bathed in sweat.

"I... I can't remember." She replied. Her bones still shivered despite the intense heat. He said nothing.

She shuffled around.

"I can go back to work." She said to no one. He didn't respond, didn't look at her.

It was some minutes more before he turned to face her. He said nothing for a while, just studied her.

"If you feel well enough to go, then leave. Rest for the remainder of the day. I will expect you be working tomorrow." He said all of this in that breathy way of his, not painful, not loud. His voice was like a whisper on the wind.

Being in his presence made her nervous. Like she was never sure if he was angry with her, or if he was pleased. Like he was a bomb waiting to blow.

It made her anxious.

She folded the blankets around her, neatly stacking them.

"Leave the blankets." He sighed, and with a wave of his hand, they disappeared.

She stared at the empty spot a moment, then bowed to him.

"Thank you for your care, Master Kōsen."

* * *

Laying in bed was not how she wanted to spend the day. Instead, she went to find Emi. Surely she had something extra Suzume could do to pass the time. Emi was elbow deep in a steaming tub. Sweat dotted her upper lip, and her hair was pasted to her head.

"Suzume! You're okay!" The girl didn't pull her arms from the heated water. "We were so worried!" She pulled some linens out and dumped the heap onto a table.

She and Emi chatted as much they could while they washed the linens. A few hours later they were interrupted by a woman bursting in. She worked in the kitchens, as was apparent by her grey colored clothes.

"Suzume! Thank gods you're here, I need a huge favor!" Emi and Suzume glanced at one another uneasily.

The woman, Mizu, had forgotten that Lady Sa-me's maids only ate seaweed, and would turn their noses up at any other greens.

"How is that our problem, go fix it yourself." Emi complained, turning her back, shoving her hands into the water once more.

Mizu grasped Suzume by the arms.

"Please! You're the only one who has the day off, if you go, no one will know I messed up! It shouldn't take you long…. Please…." Mizu clapped her hands in front of her face, her unblinking eyes boring into Suzume.

Suzume actually was jumping at the chance to get out of the house for some time, but didn't want this woman to think she had it easy.

"Fine, but you owe me!"

Mizu was out the door faster than she could blink, having shoved a paper with the quantity necessary into Suzume's hand. The crumpled paper felt coarse against her fingertips, much rougher than the papers she was used to handling.

"You'd better hope Master Kōsen, or worse, Tuskete, don't find out you left without permission…." Emi murmured, her voice muffled even more by the steam that surrounded her. Suzume glanced back out the door Mizu had just left through. Shrugging she replied "We'll just have to make sure they don't find out."

Emi snorted, wiping her hands on her apron.

"You are such a dope, you didn't even ask for anything in return!" With that, she slung an arm around Suzume's shoulders and pulled her out into the hall.

* * *

The streets were crowded, like usual. She darted between bodies, stepping carefully out of the way of the shapeless. A few times, she offered a slight bow to a passing customer, but otherwise, she went unnoticed. She was just a tiny light in a burning flame, nothing about her stood out. No one would ever notice her, she was still shocked that Master Kōsen had found her all those years ago. She was grateful to him, for pulling her off the street. She had seen a few more 'strays' (as Tuskete liked to call them) come in. Only one had refused Master Kōsen's offer. The man had raved about being under servitude before, and she had watched him fade out of existence that very night. She did not sleep for days for fear she would disappear as well. She ended up fast asleep at table service, and had been sentenced to three weeks of mucking as punishment.

Some of girls had cried that her punishment had been too lenient. Tuskete hushed them, but behind her back, warned the girls that Master Kōsen had a soft spot for Suzume. She heard everything they said, and whatever she didn't hear, Emi was sure to tell her. After three years though, she had worked hard, learned many tasks, and few could say she was treated special.

She ducked under the out spread arm of a bulbous creature, ignoring when it snapped it's ugly mouth at her.

It didn't scare her; it was all talk, no walk.

She had just made it to the little stand, had just stepped out of the warmth of the fading sunlight when she felt it.

Like a little tickle behind her right ear, she stopped for a second to listen. When she heard nothing she waited to see if the feeling would pass. Distracted, she spoke with the shop hand, telling the man what she needed. Again, the tickling feeling appeared, but this time stronger.

She rubbed absently at the spot behind her ear, casting a look about.

"Someone is watching you." She whirled around on the voice, startled to find an older woman sitting hunched over in the shade of the shop.

"I'm sorry?"

The woman turned ghostly pale eyes up towards Suzume.

"Oh, you're blind…" The woman chuckled, grasping a shaky hand to a roughly hewn cane.

"You can feel them now, out from under the watchful eye of your owner." The shop keeper made his reappearance then, handing her a basket of the dried leaves. She distractedly counted out the coins for him, finding it difficult to look away from the woman.

Finally, as if needing an excuse to leave, Suzume bowed to the woman and stepped back into the warm sun.

She still felt the tickling, although now it felt more like a heavy breath on her neck. Her shoulder collided with the side of a spirit, the thing made angry clucking noises at her, but she moved on, determined to get home.

Maybe she was getting sick. She shook her head. She hadn't gotten sick in at least three years, maybe longer. She was as healthy as physical labor and a primarily vegetarian diet would allow.

Still, a chill settled over her. Someone, or something, was watching her. She could feel them locked on to her person, could hear a 'thap, thap, thap' like someone's fingers drumming. Maybe they were waiting for her to do something, say something. She jumped and gave a startled yelp when a hand on her elbow halted her forward movement. The instant burning of her skin immediately gave away the owner, and she cowed under the strong gaze of Master Kōsen. He gave her a peculiar look, as if he wasn't sure who he was looking at. In the next blink, his face was passive, and he was tucking her basket of greens under one arm.

"I do believe I ordered you the night off." He calmly said as he started to walk on. It took her a minute to realize he wanted her to follow.

She wisely kept her mouth shut. He seemed to understand she would not willingly give up her secrets.

"Did you feel them?" He said instead. Another shiver lanced down her spine.

"I didn't imagine that then?" She started to look around, trying to find a face in the crowd that felt like the presence. He shook his head slowly, patting her arm.

"You will not find them here. Be calm, they can not harm you," He sighed, his gaze pinpointing on a figure in the nearing distance. She did not feel reassured, and stepped a bit closer to his overly warm body.

They continued on in silence.

Once again, she felt eyes on her, but this time, the source was easily found. The dark mass that had been so far away was much closer now. A black form, a shapeless, she thought, but the white mask attached to what should be the face said differently. The face seemed benign, a slight upturned smile, it made no move to come closer. It bowed to them as they passed.

In a bit of awe, she bowed back. She was wrenched upward by Master Kōsen who maintained a tight grip on her shoulder. He almost seemed to march her forward.

"He is a demon. We do not acknowledge demons, let alone bow to them." He chirped. She glanced back, to see the thing again, to file away this image of 'demon' but the creature was gone.

"Never invite one in, it would be easier to burn the house down then get it out." He murmured, his tone airy once more.

Her mind replayed images of her opening one of the exterior doors, dumping some mop water, it was raining. And he was there, that 'demon'.

 _"I'll leave the door open so you can come in."_

She stopped walking abruptly, glancing in horror at Master Kōsen as he turned to her.

"I did let one in." She gasped.

The loudness of his reply was deafening.

"You what?!" And then he was gone, her basket dumped on the ground.

She scooped up as much as she could, deciding they could pick out the dirty pieces later, and took off running the last few blocks to the house.

* * *

It had been two days since Master Kosen put the House on alert. He and the few magic wielders had scoured the place top to bottom, but found nothing. He had Suzume walk with him into every room to see if the demon would appear, but it never did.

He had asked her over and over 'You're sure you welcomed it in? It has to be welcomed, it can't just come in an open door.' And she was sure she had invited the masked formless in.

"I'll have to a hire a witch, gods help us." He complained over tea. He gave her a sharp look.

"Hopefully there are some even available. This is coming out of your pay." He snapped, slamming his cup down.

She really wanted to point out that he didn't pay her, but decided she was in enough trouble.

Tuskete made a quiet entrance then.

"What now?" Master Kōsen chirped angrily. His skin was flushed, his irritability reaching new heights.

She bowed quickly.

"Forgive Kōsen, but it's Lady Sa-me…." He cut her off with a dismissive wave.

"Just give her whatever she wants; I don't have the patience to deal with that cold blooded woman." He closed his eyes, leaning back in his chair. He took a deep breath, holding his hand to his forehead.

His eyes opened to slits when Tuskete didn't move. The molten gold of his irises made it look as if his eyes were glowing.

"Why aren't you leaving?"

She had the grace to blush and look down.

"Lady Sa-me, she wants Suzume…."

Both ladies waited for the blow up with nervousness. It didn't come.

Master Kōsen stood gracefully from his chair, tucked a few stray hairs in place, and took a deep breath. And then the table went up in flames.

Suzume knocked her chair back and fell to the floor with a scream.

It took her and Tuskete a minute of shock before they both jumped to put the flames out while Master Kōsen stormed out, leaving the hinged door wide open.

After the worst of it was smothered, Tuskete shoved her out the door.

"I will finish up here, you go stop Master Kōsen from burning the place down."


	5. Chapter 5

So I have a bit more free time this week, here's a gift. Still hoping to upload on Fridays. Sorry for the double update for the previous chapter, but there were some errors I couldn't let pass.

Disclaimer: I have no true rights to the SA world, just borrowing it for a bit.

Thanks for reading!

* * *

Chapter Five

She took a deep breath, trying to settle her nerves. She was not as brave as everyone claimed she was, and it was times like these that reminded her such.

Lady Sa-me's reputation exceeded herself.

She felt a whirlwind building within herself, pressing against her insides, trying to push outward.

She tried not to fidget, but her shoulders shook against her will.

 _The 'thap thap thap' of her feet on the floors echoed all around. The halls were quiet, the house was quiet._

 _Where would they be?_

 _She skidded around a corner and nearly slammed into Madchen. The girl's mouth moved but she could hear nothing. She just followed the pointed hand down another hall._

 _She burst into a sitting room, ignoring all manners and glanced about. The first thing she noticed was the terribly scorched floor. The second thing she noticed were the puddles of water._

 _The last thing she laid eyes on made her bite her cheek to avoid giggling._

 _A very soaked Master Kōsen sitting angrily against a wall._

 _His hair was pasted to his red face, his clothes sticking to his hunched form._

 _He was rarely so disheveled. His ferocious stare was leveled at Lady Sa-me, who sat neatly on a chair, fan covering her lower face, as usual._

She nearly missed the young girl passing in front of her to open one screen. What was left of the dying sun spilled in. The room was instantly less stifling.

The girl said nothing, merely stood by the far door she had come through. She stared at the floor, her hands folded demurely by her sides.

All of the girls had the same look. Their hair was cut the same style, their bodies the same shape. Their eyes were beady black slits in their pale faces, their noses sharp and pointed.

It was not much longer before Lady Sa-me made her entrance.

She glided in, circling the room once, twice, a third time, before settling into a western style lounge chair.

The fan she held to her face was much less ornate than what Suzume was used to seeing the lady with. Her clothes were much less fancy, rather plain and simple actually.

They sat there in silence.

She didn't know what Lady Sa-me wanted, was she supposed to be doing something? She made to stand, but the young girl grabbed her arm and forced her back to the seat.

She was shocked at how strong the girl was. Her skin felt bruised just from such a quick contact. Lady Sa-me blinked at her, black eyes emotionless.

Just then, the door opened.

Madchen walked in casually. She carried with her a stack of linens, and a tray of tea on top of that.

She only glanced at Suzume before moving on.

She bowed and served to the lady, and poured a cup for Suzume, which she added two drops of a clear liquid from a dropper in her sleeve.

"This will help." Was all she said before standing and leave, just as quietly as she had come. She took the linens with her.

Suzume stared reluctantly at the tea.

She didn't know what was added, didn't trust it. But she trusted Madchen, and the lady was giving her such a look.

Careful not to spill a drop, she sipped at the cup. It was bitter and strong with no sweetening. She had always enjoyed some sugar or honey in her tea. Drinking it straight was, well, not her cup of tea.

A tingle in the back of her head made her rub her neck, trying to ease the discomfort.

She was too uptight, her muscles tensed. No wonder she was getting a headache.

She sipped some more, and then some more. Without realizing it, she had finished the entire cup while Lady Sa-me hadn't even touched hers.

Embarrassment flooded up her neck, coloring her chest and cheeks in a pale red.

She didn't know what she was doing here, didn't know what this woman wanted, didn't know if she let a demon into the house, didn't know if Master kōsen would forgive her for nearly laughing at him. All these things spun circles in her head.

" _My, my. A busy mind."_ She jolted upright at the disembodied voice. Glancing around subtlety, she held her breath. She knew in her heart of hearts who had spoken, but it was not _possible._ Things like this don't happen to her. She blinked slowly, letting a stilted breath slide past her lips.

" _You are scared of me."_

She blinked again, hesitantly making eye contact with Lady Sa-me. Indeed, the woman stared back at her with an interested look. The woman must have seen the questions in her face, or maybe her mind? How did these things work? She glanced at the girl by the door.

Did she hear the lady as well? Or was it just in her head? She waited to see if the woman would answer her unending questions.

No answers came.

"We, I, were under the impression you are, um..." She couldn't finish her sentence.

" _Cruel."_ Lady Sa-me blinked slowly once. Suzume nodded uncertainly. The woman fluttered her fan.

" _I'm tickled."_ The melodious voice in her head tinkled, like bells chiming.

" _I will not play games, your master has given me only a few minutes of your time."_ The voice this time was low, and sweet. The woman brushed at her clothes momentarily. Suzume shuffled in her seat.

She nearly jumped when those black eyes jumped suddenly to hers.

" _You are a very pretty pawn. How Kōsen came to find you is beyond me."_ There was no sweetness to the words spoken. The woman was gripping her fan lightly, but the muscles in her arm were tensed.

Suzume frowned, brows creased. She had no idea what was going on.

" _Oh child, I merely wanted a chance to sink my teeth in you,"_ The fan flicked away from her face. It was only a moment, hardly long enough to truly absorb what she saw.

Rows upon rows of sharp, serrated teeth. Her jaw seemed locked in an open position, the massive points keeping it from closing all the way.

And then the fan was back.

" _...so to speak, of course. Kōsen would never allow harm to come to you... not yet at least."_ Her words were plain spoken and given no emphasize. She clearly cared not if Suzume believed her.

Her heart thudded away in her chest. It was difficult to breathe. It was difficult to think.

She felt trapped by a predator. She felt like darkness was moving in all around; that shifting shadows threatened to pull her down. The air in the room felt heavy, pressing in on all sides, pressing down on her chest. She felt like she was drowning, and the sharks were waiting just off the edges of her mind. With a hysterical cry, she fell to the floor, clenching her eyes closed.

She gripped onto the one constant, the one thing that remained in the darkness. A striking pair of emerald eyes.

She tried only to think of those eyes, to chase away the fear, the threat.

A face formed around the green orbs.

Long and sharp, a muzzle and whiskers formed without effort. Twin horns sprouted next, curving way back, nestled in a bed of green. The white fur face twitched, the dark mane swirling in non-existent wind.

The eyes remained open, but not seeing.

She fought the feeling of drowning. The image of Lady Sa-me's teeth, of her menacing words, drilled into her.

"Haku!" She shouted, her lips numb.

The emerald eyes snapped open an inch more, the nostrils flared and the lips pulled back to reveal vicious looking teeth.

The whiskers jumped forward then shot back as the creature surged up. The face came flying toward her on a body she could not see. She flinched, rolling into herself to brace for the impact. Her hair whipped her face with a rush of wind. The hit never came. A roar deafened her, nearly causing her to miss the following scream. With the emerald eyes gone, there was nothing left to anchor her, and her vision was consumed by black.

* * *

She came to on the floor. She had a kink in her back, and her knees ached fiercely, but she was alive.

Scrambling to her feet, was startled to find Lady Sa-me on the floor as well. Her maid attempted to help her to her feet, but the woman shook her off. It was clear that the both of them were shaken as well.

The three stared at one another in apprehension and disbelief.

"You tried to kill me." Suzume was finally able to mumble. Her head was tired, her eyes begging for true sleep.

Lady Sa-me shook her head.

" _That was not my intent, I merely wanted to see what you were hiding."_ The words were said in shock, like the woman was just finding out what she had been doing.

"You tried to kill me!" This time, Suzume was angry. How dare this woman think she could do this to her!

Lady Sa-me shook her head slowly, her fan abandoned on the floor. Her hand was placed haphazardly over her mouth in an attempt to hide her teeth.

" _If I had truly meant to kill you, he would have killed me."_ She raised her supporting arm, and to Suzume's shock, a line of blood dripped from her elbow to pool on the floor.

The wound was mostly hidden by fabric, but that too was obviously torn and bloody.

Suzume felt like she would be sick.

The maid girl pressed her hands to the mess of flesh and cloth, one of her dainty hands sinking inward.

Suzume thought she'd truly be sick now.

Without much forethought, she stumbled to the door.

"I'll get Master Kōsen..."

What was her life coming to? Why did these things keep happening?

* * *

"Why do you favor me?"

Master Kōsen was standing before a faucet, cleaning the blood from his hands and arms. It had taken much longer than expected to stem the flow of blood, even with the help of magic. It didn't help that Lady Sa-me wouldn't stay still for long.

Neither Suzume nor Lady Sa-me offered an explanation when asked. Lady Sa-me had just fixed her stare to the floor, refusing to look any one in the face.

Suzume was the near mirror of her, fiddling nervously with her tunic. Master Kōsen had been, still was, furious.

He barked and chirped and threatened, but neither spoke.

When Suzume had tried to help, to hold some snowy white bandages that folded themselves out of thin air, Master Kōsen had yanked her back by her collar. She had landed harshly on her elbows, stunned.

He snapped at her, chirping that spirit blood was a powerful, dangerous thing. She was not to touch it.

Blinking slowly, she shuffled her feet.

She wasn't sure if he had heard her over the running water.

"Why do you-" He cut her off with a sharp look over his shoulder. His burning eyes were red rimmed and had dark circles under them.

"There is no favoritism." He chirped loudly. His voice was painful to the ear. He tossed the towel he used to dry himself to the floor.

"I am tired of these games Suzume. Tell me what happened." He crossed his arms, standing tall before her.

She seemed to shrink in on herself.

"I will force it out of you if I must." He said, his tone dark.

Taking a deep breath, she made a decision. She couldn't say why she didn't want to tell him about the beast in her head. Every nerve in her body screamed at her to keep her mouth closed. She straightened up, forcing her shoulders back, her chin out.

He seemed only slightly surprised at her sudden change in demeanor. His astonishment at her words was much greater.

"I attacked Lady Sa-me." She stared just to the left of his face, drilling her gaze into the far wall.

"You...attacked..." He said the words as if he didn't know what they meant.

Suddenly, he gracefully dropped into a chair, rubbing a hand over his face.

"Come now Suzume, you actually think I'll believe you capable of doing such damage?" He crossed his arms again.

She repeated herself, only louder this time.

"I attacked Lady Sa-me!" He gently waved a hand at her and her voice cut out. The look her gave her made her want to crumble to the ground at his feet. To apologize for lying. But the spell he had put on her had taken her voice, and for that she was grateful.

"I do not take kindly to being lied to. I will ask one final time and I expect the truth." He rubbed his hand over his eyes once more, massaging his temples briefly before waving his hand at her again. Her lips tingled, and she felt she would throw up. She bit the inside of her cheek to keep the truth from spilling out. She didn't know why, but she did not want to talk about the green eyes, or the beast she had called out. Something told her it would be much worse if she said anything about it.

"What happened?" He sighed, his eyes closed.

She exhaled slowly, trying to settle herself.

In as calm a voice as she could muster, trying to meet his closed stare, she said "I attacked Lady Sa-me."

He slammed a closed fist on to the arm of the chair, his eyes blazing open. The chair groaned under the pressure, cracking and splintering.

"Enough!" He stood so quickly she did not even see him. He was pacing, flames leaping up his legs, licking at anything close enough. Scorch marks marred the floor, the desk, the wall. They jumped at her, but fell just a few inches short.

"A year in the gardens; perhaps hard labor will remind you your place." He barked. Her clothes shifted to a lame brown, the cool cotton of her errand clothes turning rough and coarse.

"Leave now! I do not want to see your face for the year! If there is any other incident, I'll break your contract!" He trilled, throwing his arm out, pointing towards the door.

Her muscles contracted of their own choice, dropping her into a low bow, then marching her out the door. Her stiff clothes rubbed her sore as she continued marching down the halls. She couldn't even glance at Emi as she passed, could only just stare blindly at all the faces that lined the halls.

She couldn't even wipe away the tears that slipped down her cheeks.


	6. Chapter 6

So a bit longer. And I technically made it by Friday. Enjoy! Review!

Thanks!

* * *

Chapter Six

~Three Years Later~

She walked calmly down the street, her pace unhurried. She had been sent to escort the witch Michi-ko to the Ni~Tsu no nokori teishi. This would be the witch's fourth visit, sent for all those years ago when Suzume thought she'd let a demon into the house. Now the witch made routine stops at the House to assure that no 'angry spirits lounged' about.

It vexed Master Kōsen to no end, but customers seemed to like the idea of being protected on their trips. So, the witch continued to make visits.

The witch was a funny thing.

Mici-ko did not like to walk alone from the train station to the House, nor did she like to be served by any person. She demanded to be present in the kitchen when all meals were prepared, and refused to sleep alone in a room. Instead, she slept in the girl's communal rooms.

Her oddity continued; she would disappear for hours during the day, only to appear rather abruptly, normally startling one of the workers or guests.

But her services were fair priced, she only stayed for three days at most, and the House _was_ evil spirit free.

That had to count for something.

* * *

The train wasn't yet due, so she leaned casually against the station wall. The days were growing warmer with the coming summer, Master Kōsen had promised watermelon if the summer's solstice went smoothly. The girls were all looking forward to that, and to opening all the shoji to allow the cross breeze in.

Feeling like she was being watched, she spared a side glance.

Standing next to her was the No-Face demon. She had seen him on more than one occasion in the past few years. Never at the House, thank the gods. But he seemed to follow her wherever she went. At first he scared her, she had run from him more times then she could count. Never had she mentioned it to Master Kōsen, she was resolved to keep all her problems to herself after the incident with Lady Sa-me.

She had not had much company for that year she labored in the gardens. The garden workers were a hodge podge of men and women (among other creatures) that were not all that altered by the weather, or had raised the ire of Master Kōsen. She did not find many friends there, where she found herself overheated or dreadfully frozen. She suffered mostly silently through many a cold, and many a sunburn. She was not overly suited for the physical labor, although by the end of her term, she could keep up just as well.

On the rare occasion she found herself out of the House, after the first few fearful encounters, she found some silent comfort in the No-Face.

Once she realized he was not going to harm her (or he was biding his time), she refused to talk to him. He was a demon after all.

But she found herself rambling to him often enough anyway.

"You'd best be off, I'm here to pick up a witch whose job it is get rid of you." She drummed her fingers on the wall behind her.

The No-Face seemed not to hear her, or didn't care.

She shrugged. If he had a death wish, so be it.

The train pulled up just a few short minutes later, but instead of Michi-ko getting off in her silky green kimono, a conductor got off.

The man(?) was all shadow, but his uniform was clean pressed. He held up an envelop with her name written neatly in cursive. He pointed to the name, then pointed to her.

"Uh, yes, that's me." She took the envelop from him. He turned, ambling back into the train. The door closed while she stared at the envelop, not really sure what to make of it.

The No-Face motioned toward it.

"Uh-uh."

She glanced at him.

"Should I... should I open it?" Again, the No-Face pointed with his shadowy fingers toward it.

She stuck her nail under the seam, and it popped open easily.

Inside there was a simple folded note and a small stack of train tickets.

 _Suzume-_

 _I have been held up at an acquaintance's. Please come fetch me if convenient. Otherwise I will not be able to make this visit._

 _Sincerely yours,_

 _Michi-ko_

She contemplated what she should do. Master Kōsen would no doubt be furious if she went farther then the train station; she'd never gone any further then the train station!

But, he did say to bring Michi-ko.

She glanced at the note, unsure what she should do.

To her shock, there was different message.

 _I shall tell Master Kōsen it was all my doing. You merely followed dutiful orders._

She flipped the paper over, studied the back, searched the envelop, scanned her surroundings. Nothing alluded to her being watched.

She glanced back at the paper.

 _Witch._

She blinked. Looking at the No-Face, she weighed her options.

The thrill of going somewhere new tingled the back of her neck. The possible danger, the sights she might see, and the chance to be a bit defiant.

But the fear was still there. She had never willfully defied Master Kōsen, was scared how he might react.

What if he broke her contract?!

She shivered, her body seizing up in the fear of disappearing.

She clenched her eyes closed and concentrated on the emerald eyes. It helped her ground herself, to give her reassurance.

The beast behind the eyes had only ever awoken once after the incident with Lady Sa-me. A garden spirit worker had cornered her in an outer shed, bent on teaching her 'her place'.

She had called on the beast in utter fear and it had answered. She had been woken by a shadow spirit dragging her out into the snow. The spirit that attacked her lay in a heap on the ground, blood splattered the walls.

She could still taste the copper. It haunted her dreams at times, but she could not feel sorrow for a spirit that meant her such harm.

She could still see the look Master Kōsen had given her when he had been alerted of the worker's death. No words were spoken, but his eyes had put the fear of gods into her. She spent weeks after that fearful she would disappear each night, that he would destroy her contract.

She stared at the No-Face. Something within her said to get on the train. Get on the train and go far.

She knew her contract kept her tethered to the House. She didn't know how far she could get before there were consequences. And what would those consequences be?

And she really had no true reason to want to leave. Yes, the work was hard, and yes, she felt she wanted to do more with her life. But neither of those were reasons to runaway.

A train pulled into the station. She hadn't realized it had started to drizzle.

She stepped up to the doors.

Taking a little trip didn't entail running away.

The conductor met her, holding his gloved hand out expectantly.

"Oh..." She fumbled to hand him the tickets. He pointed to just over her shoulder. She nearly jumped once she realized that the No-Face was standing just behind her.

"Oh, he'd like to come to please."

The spirit ground up the little slip of paper until just two tickets remained, then handed them back to her.

She was quick to find a seat, making room for others who were trying to board.

Sitting neatly, she watched the No-Face hovered about.

"Sit here, and be quiet." She pointed to the seat next to her. She didn't know what she was doing, but better to act like she knew.

She wiped her face with her sleeve, trying to dry herself off a bit before fishing around for the note from Michi-ko.

 _Good Girl. Take the third stop._

She settled in her seat, folding her hands to keep them from fidgeting.

* * *

As the scenery passed, she just stared, not truly seeing the sights. Her mind was occupied.

She felt restless.

Taking a deep breath, she focused again on the saurian eyes.

She had been so scared that this great beast meant everyone harm, that it would strike at any moment. It took only a few days of her not looking anyone in the face before she reasoned with herself that the creature had never moved unless she called to it.

At times of great stress, or emotional moments, she fancied that she could hear it, him. She resolutely decided it was most definitely a 'him'. Everything about him screamed masculine, and she wasn't sure how she should feel about a male being with her at all times during the day. Once she had decided that it was a male, it made for some awkward bath room moments.

But often, his eyes were unseeing, the sleek white face floating in her mind, whiskers un-moving.

Some times she wanted to reach out, feel the scales that decorated his face. Then she reminded herself that this was a vicious creature that had drawn blood on a semi-powerful spirit, and had killed a lower spirit.

And he had decided to take up residence in her head.

* * *

The third stop came, and she had to shuffle quickly to make it on to the platform after a small wave of water flooded the station.

She glanced around, noticing no one else besides the No-Face and herself, got off at the stop. It was dark, the air chilled now. She rubbed her arms to get rid of the goosebumps.

She felt uneasy as she watched a lantern light on the platform light itself.

"Uh-uh." The No-Face hovered by her side. He too seemed unsure.

"This was the stop, right?" She said to no one in particular. She fished the note from Michi-ko out of her pocket, but there was no new writing on it to give her any help.

"Hello?" She called out. No one answered.

She and the No-Face stared at one another for a moment, before she looked away.

"Well, I guess we can wait for the next train..." She looked down the tracks, there was nothing but darkness. So following them back was out of the question.

She ducked back under the canopy, rubbing her hands together.

"Well, this was stupid..." She muttered.

* * *

It had to have been hours later, she couldn't tell. Her clothes were soaked, her hair was plastered to her face and neck, and her body shook.

She was sitting on the floor of the station, huddled under the canopy that did little to keep the heavy rain at bay. The No-Face was hardly visible, his mask looking as if it hung in mid-air.

She rested her chin on her knees, staring out at the abyss of darkness. No train had passed. Maybe they didn't run this late?

She closed her eyes, trying to picture the warmth of the sun. She had made it through plenty of snow days thinking of the sun. Granted, she was moving and that kept her from freezing entirely.

She imagined herself basking in the summertime, the air hot and dry. She imagined sitting in Master Kōsen's office, wrapped in blankets, sitting before a fire. In fact, anytime she was near Master Kōsen would do. The man emitted enough heat to fool anyone into believing he _was_ the sun. Of course that wasn't true, but when the man was touching her, or even standing just close enough, it felt like her skin would melt off.

She shimmied further into herself, tucking her arms between her legs and body.

* * *

 _The room was bright, almost painfully so. Lights bounced off the steam, removing all traces of shadow. The floor was slick under foot, the air heavy._

 _But it was oh so warm._

 _She shivered, spying the sunk in tub. With quick work, she removed her freezing clothes, trying to fold them as nicely as they would allow. She gently placed them on her sandals. Tugging the purple tie from her hair, her long locks slapped her bare back with a loud echo._

 _She tried not to think about much of anything while she did all this._

 _It did cross her mind that she was not where she ought to be, but with a shrug, she dismissed those thoughts._

 _'My dream.'_

 _She tried not to think about how angry Master Kōsen would be, tried not to think about how cold she was._

 _Still, a shiver raced down her spine._

 _With quick, quiet steps, she was sinking into the burning water._

 _She swirled the water through her fingers before making a cup and dumping some over her head._

" _It is not nice to sneak up on people." A distinctly masculine voice echoed off the walls._

 _With a squeak, she ducked under the water. Slowly rising, until just her eyes and nose peeked out, she glanced around._

 _Through the steam, she found the speaker. A **very** male figure leaned against the far side of the tub. His arms were stretched out wide on either side of his body, fingers dangling in the water. His dark hair was pulled up and out of his face, leaving it near perfectly clear to study. The only thing that truly hindered her gaze was the cloudy steam._

 _He was gazing at her from slits, his eyes barely open, but it was obvious he was watching her every move._

 _She briefly eyed him, taking in as much of his form as she could. The jump of his stomach muscles, and a low growl caused her to quickly avert her eyes, unable to control the blush burning up her neck and cheeks._

 _It would not be the first time she had seen a male naked, but none had been as easy on the eye as this one._

 _She stared at the water cupped in her stiff fingers._

" _You're not real, just go away." She managed to mutter out, clasping her hands under the water. She was answered with a snort._

" _I certainly_ **feel** _real. Perhaps it is you who is unreal." He regarded her coolly, crossing his arms over his chest._

 _She frowned._

" _You are just another dream, you always are." He seemed to think this was interesting, leaning towards her a bit._

 _After a moment of tense silence, he held his arm out, palm upright, fingers towards the ceiling._

" _Shall we test it...?" She eyed him wearily, staring at his palm._

 _With little thought, she started to move forward, then realized just how very naked she was._

 _Suddenly dropping low into the water, she wrapped her arms around her chest._

" _Close your eyes." She demanded._

 _He seemed to want to roll his eyes instead, but thought better of it._

" _How am I to trust you? You could be here to kill me." She shook her head vigorously, stating she did not have the stomach for killing things._

 _He laughed. He actually laughed._

 _In all the dreams she had seen this man in, never had she thought him capable of the sound._

" _Then if it is your modesty you wish to protect, I must admit, I've seen it all before." She frowned, not quite understanding him. He elaborated. "And, to be fair, you did quite literally pop in unannounced and start stripping. A spirit could hardly realize what you were doing before it was done." This time her face lit up like a match. From her nose to the tips of her ears, she flamed red._

 _He shot her a some what sympathetic look, shrugging his shoulders._

" _Now, shall we test to see if we are real, or would you like me to further embarrass you?"_

 _She bit her lip, and then shrugged. What else did she have to lose?_

 _With a deep breath, she shimmied along the wall until she was just close enough to reach his still out stretched hand with her own._

 _Her fingers passed through his palm with no resistance. She deflated a bit._

" _See, not real."_

 _He sat back with a frown, rubbing the fingers of his right hand together._

" _Interesting. Still doesn't tell us which one isn't real." He dropped his hand back into the water._

 _She attempted to swim softly to back to her side, but she was just awkward limbs._

 _He chuckled once more._

 _She stared at him in amazement. She was used to seeing the anger, the despair, the frustration. Never, not once in almost six years, had she seen laughter from him._

 _Surely it had to have happen, especially if he was real. But she had never seen it._

" _You should laugh more often, it suits you." She said. His fey eyes locked on to her for just a moment, and her heart jumped into her throat._

" _Where are you?" His voice sounded oddly disconnected from his body, like it was all around her. She shuddered, forgetting the warmth of the water she was in._

 _She remembered, she was at a train station, in the rain, freezing cold. She doubted it would kill her, but it was still miserable as all get out._

 _He made a noise in the back of his throat._

" _Interesting. I can not follow you there, but thank you for showing me. You will need to wake up soon." He replied, twirling a finger in the murky water._

 _She opened her mouth to answer, but the sliding of a screen door startled them._

" _Haku, the staff are terrified. I've gotten word some have heard you laughing in here. They are sure you've lost it.." A woman, clad in her frilly blue gown, wart and all, sauntered in. She didn't seem bothered in the least by his nudity, hardly even spared him a second glance._

 _What shocked the both of them was when the large woman locked eyes on Suzume._

" _Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't realize you had a **girl** in here with you..." The woman's smile grew ten times in size._

 _Suzume and Haku locked eyes briefly before speaking at nearly the same time._

" _You can see her?"_

" _You can see me!?"_

 _Her yell almost drowned him out. The woman laughed heartily._

" _I don't mean to interrupt, please, do continue." She cackled, turning her back. Suzume almost missed her parting words of 'What would Ame think of this...?' as she scurried out the door._

 _It was apparent her tub mate had not missed them, as he launched himself from the water with a deafening roar._

 _It was discerning, hearing that noise come from the form of a man. It didn't help that one moment he was there, and the next he was gone._

 _She closed her eyes, taking a deep breath._

* * *

Her eyelashes fluttered against her cheeks lightly.

Blinking carefully, she sat up.

She was still just as soaked, still just as cold.

With a sigh, she stood up slowly.

Her body was stiff from staying in one position for so long.

The rain had eased up a bit, and it looked like it might stop.

"I never got the chance to ask him how I should get home..."


	7. Chapter 7

Cover is the artwork of the fantastic Abby Diamond. I suggest people go support her work.

Posting a bit early since the end of the week looks super busy for me.

Reviewed the previous chapters and corrected some mistakes and cleaned up some lines.

This is a SUPER long chapter, but I couldn't find a sooner place to cut it. Sorry.

I'll be reviewing it in a few days, so sorry for any typos.

* * *

Chapter Seven

The sun was finally peeking over the dreary rain clouds. It had seemed like forever. But the rain had stopped, and she found pacing helped work the kinks out.

She was able to see her surroundings much better.

The train tracks below the water's surface looked to be old, their age showing in the rust that was built up in all the crevices.

The No-Face demon had taken to standing off to the side, staying clear of her pacing path.

On the other side of the platform lay a field of tall grass taller than her.

It was half flooded, and went on as far as she could see.

"Well, I guess we've got three choices. Wait to see if a train shows up, walk back along the tracks, or go forward." She turned to the No-Face. He didn't offer any help. She shrugged.

"I've never been a fan of going backwards, so forwards it is. Besides, maybe we can find something to eat."

She stepped off the edge of the platform into the waiting field, and crashed hard. Water sloshed up her nose and she panicked, scrambling to climb back on the platform. With waterlogged eyes, she reached around.

She couldn't have fallen _that_ far from the station!

Throwing the hair from her face, she managed to calm herself and look around. The station, and the No-Face, were gone.

All that stretched out before her was water, water and more crystal clear water.

She idly swam about, searching for the train tracks, but even those were gone.

"Okay, calm down. Not the worse thing in world to happen. I can swim at least." She turned back toward the tall grasses.

"Maybe there is some more solid land that way." Resolved to get herself out of this situation, she swam on.

* * *

The tall grasses were tightly packed together and it took most of her strength to stay a float.

Her arms were shaking, and her legs were dead tired. She didn't think she could go much further. It didn't help that her stomach gargled loudly every time she stopped to catch her breath. It didn't _feel_ like she was getting any where.

For a seemingly hundredth time, she closed her eyes, trying to find the beast that slumbered within her mind. And for the hundredth time, she found her mind completely void hide or hair of him. She never realized how he exuded a presence, now her mind seemed scarily empty.

"I should be grateful, really." She muttered to herself, shoving her legs through another tangle of grass. Her fingers were raw, her eyes burned and, damn it she was hungry!

With an irritated huff, she wiggled the rest of her body through, only to be submerged completely by the lack of vegetation on the other side.

Except that her foot was stuck, held between two thick stalks.

Cursing her bad luck, she wriggled around, trying to yank her leg free.

Futile.

Taking a deep breath, she ducked back under the water, intent on seeing what she could do. With little effort, she was able to slid her foot free.

That was curious.

Twisting around, she surveyed the underwater stalks. They swayed, side to side, in a non-existent breeze.

The lower down she looked, the darker the water became.

She squinted, her eyes creating shapes in the water that weren't really there. A dark form weaved in and out of the tall stalks at a leisurely pace.

She broke the surface, taking in a deep breath.

And then she moved on.

* * *

She swam, dragged and kicked her way through the grass. Before she realized it, she was half stumbling onto drier ground.

It was still sunk in about ten inches of water, but the stalks were bent and folded over one another, creating a solid structure she could stand on.

She just sat, catching her breath, taking in her injuries.

Her hands ached terribly, her legs throbbed, and she had some wretched chafing.

"I suppose I deserve this. I'll die here, and it'll be all my fault. Well, mine and Michi-ko's." Where was the witch anyway? She had gotten off at the correct stop, and what did she get? A cold night and waterlogged skin.

And she had no doubt the reception she would receive once, if, she returned to the House.

With a groan, she pushed herself to her feet.

"Best to keep going."

* * *

By the time she collapsed to the ground, she had been trekking on completely solid ground for some hours. Her body hurt in ways she could not ever remember it hurting, her feet were blistered, and her stomach was in cramps.

But her clothes had mostly dried, and she was able to pull her hair up and off her neck. The terrain grew easier to navigate, and with each step, she found she could breathe a bit easier.

With an arm tossed over her eyes to shield from the bright day, she took deep steadying breaths.

She felt like she was being watched, she pretty much _always_ felt like that nowadays. But this was different.

There were typically two types of 'watching'. There was a warm constant, a feeling that was always there, like a blanket.

Then there was a feeling, every now and then, of someone prodding her. This presence was intrusive, needy, and at times, overbearing. This presence felt like a heavy breath on the back of her neck.

But right now, she felt neither of those. Right now, she felt like she was being stalked. It was a nervous, itchy feeling. Like she needed to run, quickly and far.

But her body was tired, and she was hungry.

"Maybe just a quick nap..." She could already feel herself dozing off.

* * *

" _Wake up!"_ She felt the bellow to her bones. It echoed around in her head. She tried to lurch to her feet, but instead she fell to her face.

She struggled to stand, struggled to get her arms out from underneath her body. Everything felt like it moved in slow motion, like her eyes weren't opening, and her lungs weren't expanding.

The world was blurry at best, and pitch dark at worst.

With a slurred cry, she buried her fingers into the sand.

"I did not want harm to come to her!" The shrill shout was painful. She wanted to cover her ears, but her hands felt numb.

Her waving gaze managed to locate the screamer.

The woman was in a garish green silk kimono.

"Michi-ko." She was able to mumble. The woman glanced back at her, but never turned away from who ever she was shouting at.

"Just look at the poor thing! You've completely stunned her!" Michi-ko yelled again. She was met with a distinct _hiss_ which had her subtly backing up.

"You trespass." A voice hissed.

Suzume hiccoughed. She could feel the magic in the air, the static and tension palpable.

Squeezing her eyes shut, she searched for the beast within her, but he was not there. Whispers brushed against her mind. Like a cat sliding against her calf, she felt the barest of whiskers within her head. She tried to grasp on to that feeling, but it was gone.

 _I...cannot...follloowww..._

The whispers, there had to be ten voices, repeated themselves over and over.

Michi-ko stepped aside with a slight bow, allowing the speaker to move forward.

Suzume had trouble swallowing.

She tried to meet the eye of the man that stood before her.

He moved slowly, his steps deliberate. It almost looked as if he moved side to side as he moved forward.

His dark skin was perfectly clear, smooth and even toned. His black eyes were fierce. She struggled to keep upright, unable to cover the shaking her body was doing.

"What are you doing here, child?" He wore nothing, and cared not for his nudity. There was not a single hair on his sinewy body.

She opened her mouth, but words never came.

He stared at her, never moving.

Michi-ko attempted to help.

"She did not mean to stop here, it was an accident!" She held tight to a scroll of paper.

He sneered, perfect rows of needle teeth glinting in the sunlight.

"Not possible! Then how did she clear my barrier!" His accent was heavy, his voice deep. She was terrified.

Michi-ko seemed not to be afflicted the same as she.

"She was intercepted, I don't know how. Someone cleared your spell, she's just a girl! Do you really think one as young as her could do that!?"

He seemed to think this over. His head tilted to the side, his gaze never leaving her face.

"Who was on that train with you?" He hissed. For some reason, all she could focus on was identifying this spirit. Who was he? What was he?

She shook her head, trying to clear her mind.

"I don't... I can't..." He cracked his neck, then his jaw. She was stunned to silence. His jaw could open wider than she was tall, she was sure of it.

"You've stunned the poor thing, how do you expect her to answer your questions?" Michi-ko asked.

Suzume watched in amazement as the man's skin sparked, cracked, and then healed over. He saw her change in attention, shifting back slightly, running a hand over his ribs, as if to press the skin back together.

"I am not...accustomed...to this form..." He said more to himself than the two of them. But his frightening gaze shot back to her.

"You don't belong here." He hissed, approaching her. She was unable to move as he levered her up, his fist balled up in her clothing.

She dangled helplessly from his grip.

Michi-ko gave a girlish shriek, but she was not looking at Suzume and the man. She was staring upwards at brilliant sky.

Suzume couldn't spare a look at what she was sure was a pretty sunset. The man pulled her closer still.

"If you will not tell me, then I must find out for myself..." He hissed lowly. Where she she was gripping his wrists, the skin flaked off. Beneath the silky skin was smooth, cool scale. Black as night and fine, it reminded her of a snake.

She watched in fascination as dark blue lightening tickled her fingertips, knitting the skin back together.

She shivered when he pressed his open mouth to space between her throat and shoulder.

Every cell within her screamed.

He was going to kill her!

Her muscles jumped into actions. She kicked and scratched, trying to buck out of his grasp. But he didn't budge.

She felt his needle point teeth pierce her skin.

And just as quickly, she was falling back to the ground, thumping flat on her back. The wind was knocked from her.

She fumbled around, trying to turn over to her stomach.

Her collar bone burned, the pain blinding her momentarily.

The world came crashing back down around her ears once she caught her breath.

She sobbed once she realized Master Kōsen stood over her, his sword drawn. A thin line of red dripped from the tip of the weapon.

There was an arm, severed at the elbow, bloodied and butchered, laying by her feet. The fingers still moved, grasping and opening. The dark blue lightening sparked from the severed end, lighting some of the grass on fire.

She kicked it away with a cry.

Master Kōsen knelt quickly to her level, placing a warm hand to the burning mark on her shoulder.

"I think you've broken a bone. Move slowly." He took her opposite arm, rising smoothly. She realized he still held his blade out in defense.

She followed the line of the weapon, and saw the man clutching his damaged limb.

The blood that pooled out of his stump coated his body, turning his flesh a maroon color. The stump was quickly stitching itself back together.

The man roared, his jaw descending to a sickening level, and charged them.

She turned quickly, burying her face in Master Kōsen's chest, gripping his clothes in tight fists.

She sobbed.

She could feel him wrap his free arm around her, his fingers pressing into her hair.

His arm tightened as a wave of scalding heat exploded outward.

She heard the man screaming, howling.

With a gasp, she leaned back, trying to find Michi-ko.

Master Kōsen didn't allow her to move far.

She was awed by the flames that they were engulfed in. She was terrified, but the flames seemed not to care about her. They licked and jumped at everything else that moved, burning up the nearest grass stalks, scorching the ground, and charring the man who continued to attack.

"Suzume, you must listen to me, I can not keep this up long. You must run, get back to the platform, I will meet you there." Master Kōsen ground out. She turned to look back at him, and was shocked at how frightening he appeared. His skin was cracked, molten peaked out from these lines. His hair writhed and his eyes burned so brightly, she was scared she would go blind.

"Do you understand?" He chirped. She nodded, holding tight to his clothes.

He pulled her away, turned her in a direction, and pushed her gently. Her shoulder screamed in protest, and she held it tightly.

She knew once she stepped out of the circle of fire that surrounded them, she was on her own. She tried to take a deep breath, but had to stop mid inhale when the pain in her shoulder became too fierce.

"Go!" He trilled. She darted off, trying to duck between grass stalks. The cool air brushing her face felt divine.

She heard the roar behind her, and the deafening screech of some type of bird.

She didn't look back.

She didn't know where the station platform was, she didn't know how far it was. She just knew she needed to run.

But run wasn't exactly what she managed. It was more of a hobble, and she found herself stopping every few steps to hold her shoulder.

With a louder cry, mostly borne of frustration and pain, she collapsed.

"Haku! Haku!" She cried. She clenched her eyes closed, trying to find the beast in her. He hadn't been there before, and he wasn't there now.

"Haku, _please_!"

She cried, trying to dash the tears from her eyes. She took a slow, steady breath. She gritted her teeth, rubbing her shirt over her face.

"Get up Suzume, no one is coming to help you." She grunted. But her shoulder hurt _so_ bad. A few more tears trailed down her cheeks

" _Get up_ Suzume." She repeated. This time she made it to her knees. "Get up!" She growled at herself. She got one leg under herself, then the next. Her legs ached, she felt weak, and hungry, and by the gods, her shoulder hurt!

She stood there, staring at the grass. A strong gust of wind blew from behind her, whipping her hair in her face. The stalks gave a groan, bending with the wind, bending out of the way. She wiped her face on her sleeve again.

A path became clear between the bending stalks.

With a hiccough, she took a tentative step forward.

 _Go_! The whispered howl echoed through her skull.

She sped up, able to reach a steady limping run.

To her shock, she saw the station, she saw the No-Face. He was waiting at the edge of the platform, waving her on.

She tried to speed up, but her legs refused to move much more.

And then the ground fell out from beneath her.

With an agonized scream, she plunged into the icy water.

She choked, fighting to swim to the surface. She could only use one arm, and had to rely on her legs to propel her upward.

She broke the surface finally, barely. She sucked in more water, her lungs sputtering.

She struggled to move closer to the platform, using just her legs mostly.

She paused, trying to catch her breath.

The No-Face urged her on with incessant 'Uh's.

She felt the water below her move, a current stirring up that was not there prior.

Her heart pounded so hard, she was sure it would stop.

She inched forward, placing a hand on the platform, but she couldn't boost herself up.

Suzume managed to get herself up, using her good arm to grip the stones, toeing up one foot bit by bit. Finally she was able to get her knee up, and somehow managed to drag herself up.

She lay on her back, stunned.

The sun was gone, the sky dimming.

The No-Face hovered over her.

She closed her eyes, trying to assess her body. She coughed up enough water to fill a tub, her shoulder couldn't lie flat, and her legs felt completely numb.

"Suzume, you need to get up. Get on the train."

She was imagining things now.

Suzume blinked slowly, and now Michi-ko stood over her as well. Her silk kimono was tattered and worn.

"Hello girl, c'mon now. Get up, the train is waiting on you." She said quietly. Suzume turned her head, and sure enough, there was a train waiting, the conductor standing there. The No-Face appeared next to the open door.

She looked back at Michi-ko in confusion.

"C'mon now, your tickets are still in your uniform. A bit soggy, but still good." Michi-ko looked hollow. Suzume stuck her hand in her pocket, feeling the soaked paper of the tickets. She realized she could see the dimming sky through Michi-ko.

"You're... you're disappearing..." Suzume's voice was weak, her lungs raspy.

Michi-ko shook her head.

"Get up Suzume."

With a groan, she rolled to her side, sitting up. Her head was spinning.

She grunted, was able to get to her feet, taking a shuffling step forward.

The platform shook, the stones trembling as a huge bird touched down. Flames licked up it's body.

It's feathers were vibrant, rivaling the sun. The tips of each multicolored feather was charcoal black and some smoked. His crown feathers looked like flames themselves, haloing him. She stood there, completely overloaded.

This was too much. She couldn't do this.

A shudder traveled down her spine.

She closed her eyes, swaying on her feet.

"Suzume..." The melodious voice was calm. She slowly opened her eyes.

Master Kōsen stood where the bird had been just moments prior.

"Suzume, get on the train!" Michi-ko screamed. The woman was fading.

"Shut your mouth witch!" Master Kōsen chirped. He turned his body back to Suzume, holding his hand out to her.

"Come."

She stared at his hand, then glanced at the train.


	8. Chapter 8

I've had this week off, so early update. So far, I'm not really keeping to this Friday thing. Maybe I'll upload on Wednesdays instead...

Anywho, I don't own any of the original characters, and I hope they aren't too ooc, lemme know. (Not that there are alot of the originals in here...yet.)

Thank you to those few who have reviewed, it's a nice pick me up when I struggle to get past a section.

Not too long of a chapter, but I already have the next one done as well. Maybe I'll upload that early too.

I might be swayed with enough requests.

Enjoy, review, and thank you for reading.

* * *

Chapter Eight

All around her was foggy. The darkness swirled, pitching this way, then that way. It was sickening.

At last, she was able to open her eyes. It was dim in the room, her face pressed awkwardly against a stiff pillow with her hands folded uncomfortably under her.

She had no energy, couldn't move her head, and could only sigh at the pain that radiated through her chest and arm.

She heard a door slid open, the quiet footsteps of two people entering.

She quickly closed her eyes, trying to remain still.

"By the gods, did you kill her?" A man whispered. His voice was unfamiliar, his smell unfamiliar. She heard his footfalls growing closer, and his soft hand briefly touched her cheek. She wanted to shy away, to pull away from him, but she couldn't move her body.

"You paralyzed her." The man said in awe, his hand retreating.

"No, not entirely." The second person replied. "And only temporarily."

The first man leaned back over her.

"Was it necessary-" He was cut off.

"Yes!" The second man trilled. "She was going to get on that train!"

She struggled to keep her breathing calm, to not give away that she was listening.

"The damn witch, I should have known she was a traitor. I was only able to intercept the first train, barely. And even then! The witch was able to push it through, to a station neither of us could control! She made sure to get the girl just out of my reach!" The first man seethed, grinding his teeth. Her stomach clenched.

She was slowly gaining some feeling in her torso.

"I haven't a clue how she got off the platform though. She shouldn't have been able to get off that platform, I didn't mean for her to get hurt." The man's mood seemed to plummet, the room growing cold.

"She was so scared. I could hear her calling for..someone... I don't even know how she made it _back_ to the station so quickly." He slumped in a chair, she could hear the legs drag on the floor. "It was like, I blinked, and she was gone." She could hear his teeth grind again.

"And then that damned witch was there, coaxing her. She must have spelled her, must have honeyed her voice. The witch wasn't even there, just an image, no real threat to her what so ever. Disgusting." He chirped.

It grew quiet. She could still feel them in the room, hadn't heard them leave. So, she stayed still. But she could feel her muscles in her legs starting to jump, and twitch. The pain in her shoulder was extreme, worse than when she had broken two fingers trying to move a large stone in the gardens.

"Do you know who she worked for?" The first man asked quietly, almost sounding as if this was the last question he wanted to ask.

There was silence.

And silence.

It was quiet for so long that she gained the ability to feel her elbow jammed into her ribs without being able to move it, and how much that sucked.

"I'll need to look into it. From word of mouth, I've gotten wind that she is close to Ame, she could have been doing _his_ biding." There was a thumping on the floor. The first man was stomping his foot.

"Kōsen, you _have_ to let it go. It is over with! This girl, you're using her for pointless means!" He howled with another 'thump'. His next words had her nearly jumping to her feet, if she could have in fact done just that.

"I assure, Kohaku has no interest in you! Our contacts have come back with nothing to suggest he is planning on retaliating."

She tried to take slow breaths and hope they were distracted, that they weren't watching her chest rise and fall quicker and quicker.

"He will pay for his crimes." Was the short, acidic response.

It was silent again.

She held her breath, her head feeling light.

The image of a red teak bridge flashed before her, of small feet walking steadily.

But it was gone just as quickly.

"I shall leave for now. We will speak again in a few days. Give her this, it will ease the pain of the break." With soft footfalls, the second man was out the door, sliding it shut behind him.

Slowly, she opened her eye until she could just peek through her eyelashes.

It took her a while to find him. Master Kōsen sat at the far end of the room, slouched in a chair, staring despondently at a small vial of amber liquid.

She clenched her eyes shut quickly when he stood suddenly.

She listened to the quiet 'thump' of his bare feet hitting the wooden floor.

She could only thank the fact that, apparently she was paralyzed, she didn't launch off whatever she lay on when she felt Master Kōsen pull on her clothes. He pulled her shirt down, baring her shoulder and neck, then none to gently rubbed a smooth wet cloth in small circles over the skin. She sighed in relief as the pain was slowly replaced with a numbing buzz.

"I wonder, how much have you remembered over the years...?" He asked aloud. She kept her eyes closed, focusing on her breathing.

There was a quiet knock on the door.

"What is it now?" He chirped, striding quickly out the door.

She slowly opened her eyes, staring at the door for some minutes, waiting to see if it would open. It stayed closed.

She was able to shift, turning on to her back.

Her lower legs were still folded awkwardly under her, numb to any feeling. Her shoulder was a different kind of numb now, a tingling that made her want to itch, but her fingers still felt unresponsive.

"What is it I forgot?" She whispered.

* * *

She stared at the ceiling for some hours until finally she was able to sit up.

She had spent the hours thinking. Her head spun circles, over and over.

Despite having laid there all day, in the same clothes she wore when she got on that train, her hair greasy, she was exhausted. She shuffled down into a more comfortable position, pillowing her head on her hands, and let the darkness take her.

 _She opened her eyes quickly at the sound of foot steps._

 _She was in the office, or study, or what have you. It was where most of these dreams played out, with a wall of shoji, smooth dark wood floors, and a few scattered cushions for kneeling on._

 _But, as she spun in a circle, she saw that there was no man waiting to startle her with his husky voice. It was cold and dark in this room; she was alone._

 _The sound of footsteps had woken her, and they were growing louder. Finally, the door that led out of the room burst open, and a tall thin woman balancing a tray with tea on it came quickly through. She was thin and muscular, her pink uniform indicating she was a worker. Her long auburn hair swayed around her as she efficiently kicked the door closed with a heel and marched on. She passed right next to Suzume, her determined gaze sweeping right over her._

 _Suzume could smell the sharp bitter herbs what followed the woman's body._

" _C'mon Haku, Yubaba expects an update any moment, and if you don't want her barging in here to get it herself, you'd best get your back end up!" The woman demanded, knocking loudly on another door._

 _Suzume waited on baited breath, staring at the woman's stiff back, waiting for Haku to come through the door._

 _He didn't._

 _The woman knocked again._

 _Suzume could feel her heart starting to pound._

" _You'd better not be naked dragon..." The woman complained as she forced the door open, moving quickly inside._

 _Suzume had to dart around the door to peak inside. She then shuddered when the door slowly swung closed, passing through her body._

 _The woman had set the tray on a low dresser, walking quietly towards the large western bed._

" _Haku...?" Suddenly, the woman seemed so unsure. Suzume watched her place a cautious hand on the form under the blankets._

 _Suzume held her hands in front of her face, not wanting to see, but her translucency worked against her._

" _What are you doing?!" A shriek next to her had both her and the tall woman jumping, turning to the voice._

" _Nise..." Both Suzume and the woman said. The intruder was non-other then the willowy piece of art that always seemed to be in the main room. There were very few times Suzume could remember this woman not being in the room._

 _She was sorely attached to Haku, that much was apparent. Even Haku seemed to be aware of it._

 _Suzume could never decided if there was truly anything between the two._

 _With her was a slim woman girl with blinding bright blond hair and piercing blue green eyes._

 _This was the first time she had seen this other girl. Maybe Haku kept a harem. She shook her head, trying to shake those thoughts, and images, loose._

 _Now was not the time!_

 _The blond girl was the only one to acknowledge Suzume with a slight bow of her head which seemed lost on the other two women. Suzume give her a tentative bow back, more concerned with the rising tension in the room._

 _Nise inched forward._

" _I asked what you're doing servant!" She hollered again. Suzume flinched, but the third woman seemed to only rise to the tone._

" _Servant?! Who do you think you are? Last I checked, I was the one working while you chased after ungrateful children who don't know any better! If anyone is a **servant** , it's you!" The woman yelled back._

 _Suzume wanted to point out that Haku still hadn't gotten up, despite all this screaming, perhaps their attention was needed there._

 _The two women continued to scream, threaten and goad. They inched closer and closer together; without much forethought, Suzume placed herself between them. Nise lashed out, and her arm went right through Suzume, freezing before it hit it's mark._

" _What is all the ruckus?" Drawled a cackling voice. Suzume was the only one able to move as the big bodied witch maneuvered through the door, patting the blond girl on the cheek as she passed her. Suzume studied the two fighting women, realizing they were frozen in place, their eyes still rolling._

 _She backed up, clamoring onto the big bed. It was indeed Haku under the covers, looking for all the world like he was sleeping peacefully. But his breath was very shallow, and he had dark baggy circles under his closed eyes. She knelt by his head, watching what was unfolding._

 _With a wave of her heavily ringed hand, the witch lit some candles and a 'crack' echoed in the room as the hearth leapt to life._

" _Rin, I asked you to fetch him for me, not get into a cat fight with his employees." The tall long haired woman stumbled, unfreezing. Nise stayed statue still._

" _He's not waking up, I would have come to get you, but this **harpy** started in on me." She hissed, spitting at Nise's feet._

 _Yubaba waved her off, complaining that she was wasting the night, there were tubs that needed cleaning, floors that needed waxing._

 _The blonde girl was close on the heels of the dismissed worker, giving Suzume a final, seemingly meaningful, look. Suzume turned her attention back to the witch._

 _Once they were gone, Nise suddenly collapsed to a heap, struggling to get to her feet._

 _Yubaba turned on her._

" _Listen clearly, I have half a mind to turn you to a pig already for all the hassle you cause. What's going on here?"_

 _Nise seemed to think over her words, which boded well. Suzume wanted to face palm when the woman opened her mouth._

" _You don't own me witch, I don't need to say a thing." The fire in the hearth blazed, jumping at Nise, but the woman didn't so much as flinch._

" _You'll have to do worse to frighten me." Was her response. Yubaba regarded her crossly as she stepped up to the bed._

" _You watch your words, your master is currently indisposed, and can not defend you. You could be sliced pork before he ever woke."_

 _Nise paled._

 _Suzume was never prepared for what this witch would say or do. She must have had a split personality, and she was pretty unpredictable._

 _She did expect the rather stout woman to float off the floor until she was on an easier level, but what she didn't expect is when the woman stared at her._

 _Her heart jumped._

 _The witch eyed her, then turned her gaze on the sleeping man._

 _Yubaba held a hand just inches over him, her other hand hidden in the ruffles of her dress. Her skin glowed a golden color._

" _How long have you been here girl?" The witch asked. Suzume jolted, grasping onto her clothes, needing to do something with her hands._

" _Oh, uh, I just got here..." She mumbled._

 _Nise appeared by the witch's side._

" _Who are you talking to?" Nise spat, hovering over the side of the bed. Yubaba glanced at her, then looked at Nise._

" _You don't see her?" Nise shook her head._

" _What's wrong with Haku?" Suzume asked timidly, almost afraid to hear the answer. As if hearing his name spoken for the first time, said male's eyes snapped open._

 _Nise lurched back while Suzume leaned over him._

" _Haku! You're alive!"_

 _His eyes darted around the room, before settling on her. She was glad he could see her, that it wasn't just the witch._

 _His hand slowly came up to touch her face, but like so many things, passed though her body, falling to the bed._

" _You did not die." He replied, a dry rasp in his throat. She shook her head, sitting back on her heels._

" _No, I didn't die, you saved me. But look, I got bit..." She yanked on her shirt, exposing her shoulder and neck, only realizing herself how bruised the section looked. It was mottled in blacks, greens and yellows. A row of tiny circular scabs and dried blood add to the altogether grisly view._

" _Whose he talking to?" Was a hiss but she couldn't listen, he was trying to speak. With a slight nod of his head, he opened his eyes again._

" _The Naga. I had no doubt he would be dis... dis...upset with your intruding." He frowned, his eyes devouring her damaged skin._

" _I did not think he would attack you though. I'm sorry I could not do more..." His voice trailed off, his eyes closing again. She felt her heart jump into her throat. She tried to grab his hand, but it was futile. She tore her eyes away from his pale face to focus on Yubaba._

" _He'll be okay, right?" She wanted to plead with the witch, beg her to save him. Yubaba eyed her seriously._

" _He will be fine; But you should stop coming here." The witch replied. Suzume was stunned. Could she chose not to dream? Would she want to give up these dreams?_

" _Why?" She whispered. Yubaba's gaze never softened._

" _He's exhausted; **you** exhaust him. You're using his own magic against him; not to mention him sending magic to physically help you against that water beast. If you value his well-being whatsoever, you stay away." The crone's stern words echoed through her head. She looked back to Haku, noticed the dark circles again, the exhaustion was written into the fine lines of his face. Her chest burned while her throat clogged up. _

_She clenched her eyes closed, willing herself to wake up._

* * *

She flew into an upright position, her body trying to catch up to her brain. The agony was a red hot coal sitting painfully in her throat.

She watched her tears darken the wood floors, but no matter how much she wiped her eyes, they just kept coming.

"I'm so sorry..." She cried. She rubbed her nose on her sleeve, hiccoughing. Warm hands settled on her back as a body sat besides her.

"Calm now Suzume, you are safe. I forgive you." The gentle words Master Kōsen murmured to her only fueled the raging pain inside of her. The image of dazed emerald eyes in a worn face flickered behind her eyelids.

She buried her face in Master Kōsen's shirt, unable to stop the steady flow of tears.


	9. Chapter 9

I'm impatient. Haha. Here's another. Artwork belongs to Abby Diamond, all of her artwork is lovely. Go support her

So, I'm undecided with this chapter, let me know what y'all think. Anyone have an predictions? I know how many people are reading (thank you story stats), and I'm just curious how the actual story line is coming across. Anyone lost? Anyone bored? Pm me, or review!

Thank you for reading!

* * *

Chapter Nine

The sunlight rose steadily, filling the sky, but it just burned her eyes. She had fought sleep all night, couldn't bear closing her eyes. What if she went back _there_? Yubaba had said that she was the cause for his weakness, it was her fault. She couldn't even think about it without tearing up. Every time her eyes closed, every time she almost dozed off, she thought of all the times she was frightened of him. He had been the epitome of strength and confidence, and to think that she caused him to be bed ridden, it hurt her heart. That pain was enough to force her eyes open, force her to her feet.

She could do this.

She had gone _days_ without sleep before. When, just a few days before each solstice, the rush of patrons tripled, she had jumped from task to task. Like most of the workers here, she was grateful she had a purpose, and she wanted to please Master Kōsen, so a few days of lost sleep was really nothing to pay.

It didn't help that she kept replaying Master Kōsen's words over and over in her head. _Did she remember?_ What was she supposed to remember?

She felt sick to her stomach, crippled by all that spun through her brain.

She kept telling herself,

 _Just make it to sun up._

She could do anything when the sun was up.

But the sun came up, and she felt so much worse for wear.

She felt as if the sun was robbing her of her energy.

She longed for a cool dark room to hide in, a warm bath to curl up in.

She longed for things she didn't even know.

It scared her.

Never before had she wanted the company of another so bad. She had always been a bit of a loner, Emi really her only true friend here, although she was friendly with most everyone. She just felt out of place.

She longed to be in the presence of the people she dreamed about.

As the sun burned down on her crumpled form, she finally found a bit of peace in dreamless sleep.

* * *

"For now, you can just assist with paperwork, until your shoulder is healed." Suzume nodded mutely, staring despondently at the floor. Master Kōsen rested a hand on her head.

"The pain will ease, for now, just take it easy." There was a knock on the door, and without waiting Tuskete entered, a young woman on her heels.

Suzume ignored them for the most part, barely dipping her head into a bow, wincing in pain.

"Master, this is the girl you summoned." Tuskete said quietly.

"Welcome, thank you for coming on such short notice." Master Kōsen greeted in his whispery voice.

"May I see you papers?" He asked, holding his hand out. The woman made no noise as she pulled a fold of papers out of her sleeve.

He flipped through them, pacing idly by his desk.

"You must give my apologies to Madam Konotori, but I have made poor judgment when it comes to my staff once this year, I endeavor to not make that mistake again." He folded the stack again, and slid them into his kimono.

"Tuskete, you may leave." Before he was even finished with his sentence, she was out the door, closing it quietly behind her.

Suzume found it difficult to bring her gaze from the floor as Master Kōsen introduced the woman.

"Suzume, this is Kateikyōshi." Suzume gave a short bow, not even bothering to look at the woman. The woman bowed as well.

"I apologize Kateikyōshi, she has been through an ordeal. Your guidance will be important." He paused, placing a hand on the back of Suzume's head once again. "I shall leave you two to talk for few minutes." And in a blink, the spot where he had stood just moments before was empty.

"Hello Suzume." The woman spoke. Her voice was light and girlish. Suzume gazed at the woman's feet, noting how perfectly clean they were.

"I will be your tutor for the next few weeks." Her voice was sweet, like tingling bells. Suzume's eyes roamed further up, taking in the woman's cream colored shirt and trousers, a thick blue obi tied tightly around her pencil thin waist. Her pale hands were folded in front of her, her finger nails near invisible.

"You can call me Kate; please treat me well. I will be learning from you as well." Honey really, that's the only thing Suzume could think of that was a good comparison. Sweet, warm honey. Her platinum blonde hair was braided in thick strands, falling to her lower back. Wisps framed the thin face that held sharp cheek bones, a perfectly straight tiny nose, and a smiling mouth. The woman seemed not to mind her perusal as she waited patiently for Suzume to finish.

Air caught in her throat as she finally met the woman's eyes. Startling deep blue green eyes.

Suzume's mouth opened, then closed. She gaped, not even sure if she was breathing yet.

The woman, a girl really, not much older than herself, smiled kindly. She placed a hand on Suzume's good shoulder and gave her a meaningful look.

"I think we are going to be good friends."

* * *

Suzume sat opposite her 'tutor' Kate, trading glances with Emi who sat at another table. She was intimidated by the pretty girl; the tinkling of her voice, the wave of her blinding hair, the fluid way she walked.

Suzume hadn't spoken a word to Kate yet, had been too stunned to speak. This girl had been in her dream, and now she was sitting across from her.

She had no appetite, pushing her bowl away. She tried to ignore the looks Emi shot her, knowing the girl would grill her later.

"Kōsen has hired me tutor you in maths for the next few week; after lunch, we will head to his office to start." Kate spoke quietly, setting her chopsticks together on the top of her empty dish. She looked up, meeting Suzume's eye.

Suzume swallowed thickly, trying to work some moisture into her mouth before she spoke.

"You...you were in my dream..." Kate didn't respond, her gaze never wavering. "You saw me!"

Kate folded her hands slowly on the table, blinking one long blink.

"I do not know what you are talking about." Each word was enunciated very clearly, fluidly. Suzume's jaw dropped as she struggled to understand what this girl was saying.

How could she not know?

She had _seen_ her!

The girl had acknowledged her!

Kate never turned her gaze away.

Her eyes were a shimmering cobalt, deep like a lake, with hints of green around the pupil. They were mesmerizing.

Suzume was startled out of her stare when Emi unceremoniously dropped herself next to the her. She leaned over the table, putting herself well into Kate's personal space.

"Hullo!" She grinned wide.

Kate leaned back a bit, obviously perturbed by the sudden presence.

When no one spoke, Emi turned toward Suzume, asking to be introduced. Suzume tugged on her clothing until the girl sat back on her heels.

With a sigh Suzume laid her head in her hands.

She was tired. She had been avoiding sleep as much as she could, avoided closing her eyes. She didn't want to dream, she didn't want to see those eyes in her head. And she definitely didn't want to see this girl who was in _that_ room.

And on top of that, Emi was her normal nosy self, and apparently, Master Kōsen wanted her to be tutored. He'd never mentioned this prior, none of the other girls had ever received this.

Why was she different?

She could feel a headache staring to build at the base of her neck.

"Today can not end soon enough." She mumbled.

* * *

Weeks passed, Suzume fell into a new schedule. Her shoulder stopped burning, only aching every now and then.

She rose early, doing her best to spend as little time asleep as possible, and to keep herself as busy as physically possible. She helped get breakfast ready for the morning crew, enjoying a few minutes of lonesome peace as she ate in a back stairwell. Then she met Kate in Master Kōsen's office for a few hours of tutoring.

The only reason Master Kōsen gave for having her tutored was that she may run across numbers in the paperwork she would be doing. She didn't completely buy it.

But she dutifully did as asked, trying to ignore the jealous glares of some of the workers, pretend she didn't hear the scathing remarks of the rest.

Emi was put out at first, but forgave her as long as Suzume properly introduce her to the 'tutor'.

Then it was off to lunch, where she sat either surrounded by people who wanted to gossip or to pinch her viciously under the table.

After lunch it was paperwork, currently Master Kōsen was teaching her how to sort, file and respond to letters. He would leave shortly after to do whatever it was he was needed for.

This went on for hours until her back ached and she had a headache. She would pace around his office, stare out the window, idly doodle things in the left over ink.

Tuskete normally would retrieve her to help prepare the massive dinner needed for all the guests. The cooks made sure she at least got a bowl of something before the end of the night, which she would slurp down without utensils, crowded into a corner next to sacks of rice.

She had a habit of climbing on top of one to stay out of the way while she used her fingers to scoop out any remnants from her bowl.

If she was lucky, and fast enough, she and some of the other girls could find one of the small tubs still filled with scalding water. If it looked too polluted, they played a game to see who had to clean it. If it was still usable, or too murky to really see what was in it, they bathed quietly, trying not to disturb any guests around them.

Yozura peeked her head into the kitchen and waved at her to signal that the girls were headed off to look, but Suzume just waved her on.

She didn't feel like fighting today, and the bruises on her ribs from all the stray elbows and knuckles were hard to hide. She didn't need Emi starting fights on her account

A thin frog spirit dropped a tray on her lap unceremoniously, various hands adding dishes to it.

"This goes to Lady Sa-me," The frog added another tray on top of it, stacking them neatly, making sure the legs nestled in one another. "This is for her servants." A large bowl of steaming green with a repulsive stench. Eel.

He held it steady as she shuffled off the rice bag, then shoo-ed her. She danced around the bodies in the kitchen and hall, trying her best not to spill anything.

Once she got to the upper halls, she had a lot more elbow room. Here, workers stepped out of her way, or on occasion tossed a bit of conversation around if they had a moment.

Lady Sa-me's rooms were on the third floor, one of the few who paid for a sitting room as well as a bedroom. She hardly left her rooms, although some of the girls had seen her prowling the second floor halls every now and then, her maids trailing behind.

Whenever approached, she would soundlessly return to her rooms as if it was nothing. It was enough to creep a few of the workers out. Madchen was always the one to come to the lady's aid.

Suzume had noticed that the past two times, she hadn't seen any bruises on her friend; or she was just hiding them well.

Suddenly, before she was ready, she found herself before the woman's doors. With a deep, steadying breath, she knocked lightly.

The door swung open immediately, one of the maids standing on the other side. Suzume tried to hand the tray off, but the girl wouldn't take it, instead ushering her into the room.

With uneasy grace, she entered the room, and set the trays down on the low table.

The door that led into the bedroom opened, and a dozen or so maids filed out. They were nearly all the same height, all had the same color hair, the same cut, and the same beady black eyes. They knelt in rows of four on the floor, staring at the food, but never moving.

Lady Sa-me circled the room, a decorative fan with the image of a swan painted in gold on it covered her mouth.

Over the years, since this woman had attacked her, they had forged a somewhat tenuous relationship. She kept her distance, and didn't reveal her secret, and the Lady never asked for her again. It flabbergasted many when the woman had actually tipped her head in acknowledgment of Suzume whenever they crossed paths. Suzume was sure to express as much respect as possible.

She had asked once, when they were stuck in an elevator together for a miserable few seconds, how her teeth couldn't be seen around the fan.

She hadn't even been sure the woman _could_ respond to her, but she felt the tell-tale presence in her mind.

The woman merely replied _'Magic'_. Suzume hadn't had the courage to ask anything more.

Now, with the woman standing in front of her, she gave a slight bow, which the woman returned.

" _You are alone."_ The unspoken words slipped easily into her mind. She nodded, clasping her hands together.

"I've decided I no longer require his presence." She said this more for herself than anyone else. Lady Sa-me's head tilted to the side, a barking laugh echoing in her head.

" _If you think you could stop him, you are foolish. Spirits like that, they don't have very many restraints."_

Suzume frowned, subconsciously rubbing at the Naga bite mark. The skin surrounding the bite was staying black while all the other bruising faded.

"I weakened him, I don't wish to harm him." She said finally, dropping her gaze to the floor.

Lady Sa-me made a slow turn about the room. Her maids never shifted their attention from the food.

" _He is a powerful spirit, with powerful enemies who wish to do him serious harm. You should not tell people what you are capable of. Some of those enemies are much closer to you than you think."_

Suzume eyed her wearily as the woman stopped in front of her.

"Are you one of those enemies?" She did not get an immediate response. Lady Sa-me sat herself neatly on a cushion, and motioned for her to do the same.

" _I am not."_ The woman gave her a very straight gaze, waiting for her to speak again.

"Master Kōsen." Suzume whispered. The woman nodded once, slowly, taking the time to meet Suzume's eye again.

" _Ask that tutor of yours to teach you some self defense. She will be more than able."_ Suzume studied her, unsure of where this conversation was going.

"Why? And how do you know her?" Suzume questioned. Lady Sa-me fluttered the fan in front of her face, clicking her nails on the table.

" _If I had any intention of **making** myself an enemy of Kohaku, or Kōsen, you would be dead before anyone in this house could blink. You are defenseless."_ Suzume gulped, shuffling in her seat.

" _You may go now, my servants are hungry. I can not accept blame for what they do when teased."_ Suzume glanced at the girls, and indeed, they had fierce looks on all their faces. She bowed quickly to Lady Sa-me, rising to her feet alone, and heading to the door. She listened to the woman close her fan with a 'fap'.

She stopped at the last minute, her hand on the door, but refused to turn around.

"You never answered me; how do you know Kate?"

She didn't know if she expected an answer. She didn't know if she wanted an one.

" _Everyone has their secrets, child."_

* * *

Ta-da! Review!


	10. Chapter 10

I really struggled with this chapter. I'm at a bit of a crossroads with where this story is going. I kind of ignored it for three days in hopes it would clear itself up, no such luck. So not a super long chapter, sorry.

Thank you for the reviews, and the favorites, and the views.

Leave some more!

Thank you for reading!

* * *

Chapter Ten

"Why won't you admit that you were in my dream?"

"Why aren't you dreaming any more?"

"How do you know Haku?"

"How well do you know Kōsen?"

Suzume frowned. Their conversations went round in circles like this for hours, neither getting the answers they wanted. It was frustrating!

Kate was lounged back on a futon, her perfect hair spread all around her in blond waves.

She stared at Suzume, her gaze always steady, never wavering.

Sighing, Suzume rolled her shoulders, glaring hatefully at the characters sketched out on the paper.

"I was advised to ask you to train me; in defense, that is..." This seemed to take the girl by surprise, judging by her sudden correction in posture, and the guarded look that fluttered across her perfect face.

"Who _advised_ you?" She replied lightly, studying her nails. Suzume knew better. That was curiosity all over it, the girl was like a cat.

She pressed her lips together to avoid a small grin, glancing back at her paper.

"A lady with a fan may have mentioned something." Suzume said back, just as lightly. A look of understanding landed on Kate's face, causing her to frown.

"Ah. Lady Sa-me, I should have predicted. Of course she would know my..." She stopped mid sentence, her eyes wide. Her teeth dug into her lower lip and her cheeks turned a pale pink, trying to keep the rest of her words contained.

Suzume glared at her, knowing she had been about to let something slip. She didn't question the girl, recognizing that she would get nothing more from her on that subject.

It was quiet for a few moments while Kate gathered herself, then she spoke again.

"You would have to ask Kōsen, to let me train you. I can do nothing without his express permission."

Suzume dumped her brush on the low table, scattering the papers.

"You are not under contract, what makes you so obligated to do anything?" She barked, her anger getting the best of her. Her temper was short these days, what with the lack of sleep, and the constant wariness that accompanied being on guard all the time.

Kate smiled gently, brushing her hair over her shoulder absently.

"You have been under contract for a long time?" Suzume shook her head, leaning over to neatly stack the papers she had previously knocked over.

"No. Master Kōsen found me, offered me a job, six years ago." Kate gave her an odd look, shaking her head in return.

"Six years!? That's it? Where were you the rest of the time?" She blurted out, reaching out towards Suzume.

"I don't know what you're talking about?" Suzume answered, pulling away suspiciously. "Why would I have been any where else?"

Kate stared hard at her, grimacing. Suzume matched her gaze, not willing to back down.

They faced off for some minutes.

Kate finally looked away. She turned to gaze disinterestedly out a window.

"I meant, you're obviously not six, so where were you for the years before Kōsen found you..." She trailed off miserably, lamely.

It was obviously a lie.

Suzume wanted to ask, she wanted to force the girl to give up her answers.

But she didn't.

She didn't open her mouth, couldn't.

"Just tell me... please... is _he_ okay? I mean, he's okay, right?" She managed to choke out.

She listened to their quiet breathing in the room, counting the seconds.

As the silence stretched on, she felt her throat clog, and tears pricked the back of her eyes. She stared at the ceiling, trying to will them away, trying not to think about the possibility that he _wasn't_ okay.

15 seconds.

20 seconds.

25, 26, 27.

"He's okay." Kate whispered.

Suzume nodded slowly, rubbing the traitorous tears away, letting out a shaky breath.

* * *

~3 Years Later~

"Kimi, make sure you're staying out from underfoot. Furi, don't bite your nails at dinner, it's disgusting. I'll scrub your fingers with Malava if I catch you doing it again." The girls ran about the room, tugging on their uniforms, rolling up their mats and blankets.

"I want tonight to run as smoothly as possible. No mistakes!" She smiled at them as they chorused

"Yes, Miss Suzume!"

She grabbed at a girl who was about to pass, straightening out her obi.

Giving them a final glance, she left the room, striding down the hall.

Kate sauntered up along side her, quiet as a mouse.

"So, your first big night running the house since Tuskete left, nervous?"

Suzume grinned, shaking her head.

"Hardly, I've practically been doing it for the past few months, although Kōsen will be looking for mistakes tonight. I'll just be happy when it's over, and I can _finally_ get a full nights sleep." She dutifully ignored the look Kate gave her, staring straight ahead, greeting any guests who passed with a smile.

"Are you letting yourself 'dream' yet..?" She said quietly. Suzume shot her a side glance.

"What's going on with Emi?" she retorted. Kate shut up, looking away. Suzume sighed, brushing her hair out of her face.

"I need to stop in the kitchens, are you going to be joining us tonight, or are you going to hide out in our room?" She watched the woman shrug, clasping her hands behind her back. Her blond hair had been cut short, brushing her jaw line. It made her look even younger than she was.

"That depends..." Suzume looked at her expectantly as some girls dashed around their bodies. Kate shrugged.

"Any roasted newt in it for me?" She grinned, her sharp teeth showing. Suzume rolled her eyes, waving her off.

"I'll see what I can do." She stepped into the elevator, dipping her head to some guests. The girls that had crowded in squished themselves further back to give her more room. Kate gave a little wave and a parting remark that she had a training session tomorrow at noon, she'd better not sleep in.

* * *

A nudge at the back of her mind alerted her to the presences of Kōsen. She ignored him, giving her directions to the servers as they took food to and from the kitchens. Absently, she snatched a bowl of curry paste off the tray headed to the radish spirit, instead giving him a second helping of miso. She sent the girl on her way.

"Suzume." He finally said. Only then did she turn to him, giving him a low bow, before turning back to what she was doing.

"Still angry, I see." He replied. "Well, before you retire for the night, I'd like to speak with you. My office, does not matter the time, I shall be up all night trying to get caught up on paperwork." She listened to the 'click' of his boots retreating. She met the glare of a frog head on.

"What's the problem?" She spat. He turned his back with a grumble of 'I'd never get away with such disrespect'.

She rubbed a hand over her face, taking a deep breath.

* * *

She entered quietly with a knock. She was worn out, her first time solo on a solstice night. Her shoulders ached, and her head throbbed. She was sweaty and wanted to get a bath in before she retired. This was _not_ where she wanted to be right now.

Kōsen was sitting at his desk, papers floating around in an organized mess. He briefly glanced at her before looking back at what he was reading.

She had no will to fight right now, and found her words had little filter on them.

"You sold her contract." She felt the anger well in her core. One of her closest friends, and now she was gone, taken before she could even say goodbye.

"You _sold_ her contract!" She growled, hands bawling up in fists. Finally, he put his pen down, bracing his hands on the desk.

"I will not pretend that I'm overly affected by this. It was a business deal, I do not need to explain myself to you." She could see that he was irritated, but his words just fueled her.

"She was my friend! And you just threw her away! How many years did she serve faithfully?!" She and Madchen, Emi, and a number of other girls; they had all grown up together. Some had served out their servitude, some had taken up new contracts elsewhere, and some had been restored their names.

Madchen had been just half a year short of working her contract, of being free. He sold it. He sold her contract to gods know who, he wouldn't disclose, and Madchen was gone. Suzume hadn't even been there to see her go. She hadn't been there to defend her friend, to try and change Kōsen's mind. And now it was too late.

He rose, leaning on to his hands.

"Just because I find myself favoring you does not mean I can bend to your every wish. I am still your employer, I will continue to be so indefinitely. I will not tolerate foolishness." He replied sternly, his eyes blazing.

She felt her own tide rise at his words, unable to quell the stubbornness.

She tried to stamp on it, tried to pinch her lips together to stop angry words from spilling from her mouth.

"Why _do_ you favor me? I have asked for years, and never have I received a sufficient response!" She stomped up to his desk with half a mind to slam her hands down on it. She thought better of it.

He regarded her through his fire emblazoned eyes, studying her face, not speaking for some minutes. Finally, he sighed, leaning back.

"You remind me of my daughter; at least, you reminded me of her, when you were younger. Now, you have grown into your own person, but I have tricked myself into thinking of you as my own." He replied quickly, quietly.

Her sharp retort died on her tongue. She felt as if her fire had just been smothered. She deflated.

Tuskete had told stories of the woman, Kaishi. Kōsen's only daughter. Apparently she had died young, murdered by a man of power, just for his amusement. To be likened to her, it was flattering, and morbid.

It was a reminder that even the strong could be preyed upon.

She took a step back, folding her hands neatly against her stomach.

"I apologize." She calmly replied. She felt more tired now than ever. It felt like her strength had been sapped from her very bones.

"I merely wanted to alert you, in a few weeks time, I will need to take a trip to see the High Council. It appears that the Naga has filed a complaint. I will require you to accompany me, to show them that mark on your neck." He told her, sitting back in his chair. She leaned onto his desk with a groan, pressing a hand to her aching head.

"It's been so long! Why now!?" She exclaimed. It had been almost four years since she had trespassed on the Naga's land. She had not left the House since, not that she really could complain.

Kōsen returned to his papers, flipping through a stack.

"I'm unsure myself. But, we have been summoned, so we shall go." He waved a hand dismissively. "That is all I wanted to tell you, you are free to go."

She licked her lips, wanting answers.

Instead, she bowed lightly.

"Goodnight, Master Kōsen." She walked quietly to the door, intent on finding Kate, and maybe Emi, if she was still awake. A bath sounded divine, and maybe she could sort out whatever their argument had been about while she ranted about the Naga to them.

Just as she reached for the handle, Kōsen called out to her.

"Oh, Suzume..." She turned slightly to face him. "Good work tonight." She smiled, giving him a small bow once more.


	11. Chapter 11

Present. I'll have to go through and do a quick edit in a day or so, but for now; here you go. (Edit as of 06/04)

Thanks for reading. Review!

* * *

Chapter Eleven

The room was steamed over, muffling the sounds of the water and their talk. Emi had been deeply asleep, and Suzume didn't have the heart to wake her. Kate declined bathing, but offered to wash her hair for her.

"So the Naga has filed a formal complaint with the High Council? That does not bode well, they could force you to work for him for a year if they deem you responsible." Kate murmured, combing through her hair with her fingers.

As nails scraped her scalp, Suzume groaned.

"I don't know, I don't even know who the 'High Council' is." She never thought this would be a problem, never had she thought that she would be _charged_ with something. Gods above, the man creature had attacked _her_! If anything, she should be charging him, it, whatever!

"They are spirits from each region, powerful and mostly full of themselves. They govern, well, not much, since spirits mostly follow a strict code of honor. But there are, every now and then, issues when two spirits of power clash. So these councilmen, they dish out punishments, or divide up land if the parties involved can't come to an agreement. The world is constantly shifting, changing, so the land is constantly changing. One day you could be in Naga territory, the next, you could be in some other nameless deity's territory." Kate responded, rubbing some sweet smelling oil into her skin. "Kōsen, for example. He was given the punishment of giving a job to anyone who asked, for as long as he owns the Ni~Tsu no nokori teishi." She said offhandedly, smoothing out a tangle of hair. Suzume glanced at her, knowing she was being baited. Kate wanted her to ask why he was punished, what had he done? She could feel the question burning in her eyes, but did she really _want_ to know? Could she still respect him?

She turned away, slouching low in the water until her ears were mostly covered.

"I don't want to talk about this anymore." She whispered, holding her arms tightly under the surface of the water.

Kate none to gently tossed her hair down and dumped a bowl of water over her head.

"Suit yourself." She listened to the older girl stand, wipe her hands on a towel which she left within reach, and leave the room.

Suzume turned, laying against the edge of the tub. She closed her eyes, enjoying the silence. It was in moments like this, that she sometimes missed the presence in her head, the beast, the eyes, the comfort. She felt lonely.

It's was crazy, she literally didn't even know who this man was. She dreamed of him, she worried about him, she _missed_ him.

She rolled her eyes, pressing a hand to her forehead.

"You are completely ridiculous Suzume. I mean, c'mon." She tossed her head back and stared at the ceiling.

"Besides, he's got a enough girls to chose from, obviously. I'm just a silly girl." She held her hands to her burning face, sinking low in the tub. Silly girl or not, she could still distinctly recall the smooth, taunt stomach muscles and powerful thighs of the male raising inhumanely fast from the tub they had shared.

She shook her head viciously, trying to shake the images from her mind. Standing quickly, she dried herself and shrugged a robe on, padding on quiet feet to her shared rooms.

* * *

She entered as noiselessly as possible, closing the door with her toes. She was startled when she saw Kate sitting up under a glowing orb, reading over some papers.

"Where's Emi?" She asked quietly, placing her folded clothes on a side table. She rubbed a towel through her hair, fishing out a comb from a dresser. Kate pointed disinterestedly to the far corner, never looking away from her reading.

Suzume frowned. Why was Emi in her bed, again? Guess she was sharing, again.

"I tried to get her to move, but..." Suzume shot a look to Kate when the girl paused, only then noticing the scratch across her cheek.

"Temperamental harpy." Kate hissed.

Suzume grinned, finding it funnier than she probably should have.

"Can't believe she actually landed a blow, you must be getting slow." She teased. Kate shrugged her shoulders, murmuring something too low for her to catch.

She tugged the comb through her hair, cursing as the teeth snagged on some knots.

"Here, let me help." Kate sighed, folding her papers neatly, tucking them into her sleeve. Suzume knelt on a cushion, handing the comb off.

Kate's fingers parted her locks, pulling, twisting and separating. She watched Emi turn over, taking the blankets with her.

"What were you reading?" Suzume asked. She felt Kate's fingers stop, but it was only for a second.

"A letter from home."

Suzume frowned. Kate was touchy about her family. All she had found out over the years was that she had a brother who she was close with, but was hardly around. How that even worked, she couldn't say.

"Were you able to sort Emi out? I don't like when you two argue." She sighed, enjoying having her hair played with.

Kate gave a slight laugh, resting a hand on her shoulder to let her know she was done. Her hair was braided down her back, small wisps tickling her face.

"We're fine, we will be fine. We just don't always see things eye to eye." Kate took her arm, leading her to her bedding.

Suzume sat, shuffling down into the blankets. Kate leaned over her, tugging more blanket from the huddled form of Emi.

"Sleep well Suzume, tell _him_ I hope all is well, and that I'm _sorry_." Kate breathed. Suzume turned to glance at her questioningly. Just as she turned, Kate held her hand up, blowing white petal shapes into her face. They melted into nothing once they touched her skin

Her eyes drooped instantly, she felt her body start to fall, but she was caught and lowered to her pillow.

* * *

 _She kept her eyes closed. She knew she was in his office, she could smell it. The air was cool and crisp, sandalwood wafting lightly through the room. She felt her hair move in the wind, brushing her cheeks, tickling her neck. She could hear him move, knew it was him. It was his very presence, how the air became charged, how her heart jumped to her throat._

 _He was close._

 _She felt the hairs on her body stand on end._

 _She was scared if she leaned too far forward, she'd fall into him._

 _She flexed her fingers against her bare legs, a shiver racing up her spine._

 _A soft breeze ruffled her bangs as something heavy settled over her shoulders. She waited a moment before reaching up to finger the material._

 _She let loose a stuttered breath, licking her lips._

 _It took her some time before she could convince herself to open her eyes, until her heart could beat a steady rhythm._

 _She was facing the open shoji screens, moonlight pouring in. She found herself stepping closer to the massive gouges in the normally pristine wooden floors. They were deep, leading from the outside in._

 _She turned slowly, looking around the room._

 _She expected Nise to be settled neatly on a cushion somewhere, but she wasn't there._

 _Instead, she found **him** , seated behind his desk, studiously scanning and signing paperwork. She looked down at the heavy material she clutched. It was fancy, finely embroidered with silver filaments. It was made of beautiful thread of blues creating massive waves over her body._

 _She was in her very thin night clothes, her hair a messy braid hanging over her shoulder._

 _She walked as quiet as she could to his desk, peering over his shoulder. The papers he signed were about orders, herbs, and account settlements._

 _His dark hair hung messily around his shoulders, his fine boned fingers tapping idly on the desk._

" _It is difficult to focus when you are leaning over me like that." He said suddenly. She jerked back sharply, thrusting her hands behind herself._

 _He didn't even look up, didn't stop what he was doing. She pressed herself back against the wall._

 _She stared at his stiff back for a moment before walking around the desk, settling in one of the large chairs against the far wall._

 _She studied him as he worked, noting how his eyes swept up and down the page with ease. With a smooth flick of his wrist, the paper would float away to one of three stacks._

 _His dark eyes were bright in the low light, glinting and almost feral._

 _She was comforted that he looked to be in good health, perhaps a bit tired, but his complexion was hale._

 _She sat there for a long time, just watching him. Finally, she couldn't keep quiet any longer._

" _Do you know who I am?" His pen immediately stopped moving, his whole body freezing up. His head slowly rose, his eyes meeting hers._

" _You know who I am, don't you?" He nodded slowly._

" _I have known you since you were a small child." She swallowed thickly._

" _And...and, I know you?" She said cautiously. He regarded her calmly._

" _Perhaps not now, but at one time, we were close." The timber of his voice caused chills on her arms._

 _She blushed, holding a hand to her mouth. She couldn't meet his eye, couldn't return his stare. He either wasn't aware of the effect he had on her, or he didn't care._

" _My name, it's Suzume." She mumbled out._

 _He sat back slowly, crossing his arms._

 _His head cocked slightly sideways._

" _That's **not** your name." He said seriously, his eyes flashing. _

_She felt like her throat was closing up. She licked her lips and tried swallowing again, tried to clear her throat._

" _You know my name? My real name?" She whispered, afraid to hear it. She wanted to cover her ears while at the same time, crawl closer._

 _He nodded again but said nothing. She frowned._

" _You're not going to tell me." This time he shook his head. She wanted to growl, to demand an answer._

" _I can not guarantee your safety; names are powerful things, it would not do for you to remember your name just for it to be taken again."_

 _She deflated. It made sense, but she didn't **want** it to make sense. _

" _Who holds your contract?" He asked her._

 _She opened her mouth, Kōsen's name on her tongue, but her lips were glued shut. She tried again, struggling to talk._

 _She pressed her fingers to her mouth._

" _I can't..." She stopped, stunned. He shrugged at her shock._

" _Don't fret. I didn't expect you to be able to tell me. I have a few of those clauses in contracts as well." She wanted to bang her head on a wall. Nothing was being solved, only more and more questions were being stacked up in her head. She felt like her brain was going to burst._

" _Whoever it is, they are covering their tracks well. I can not even see where you lie now; in fact, I've not been able to locate your presence in years. I feared you were snuffed out." He said conversationally, sounding as if he was talking to just himself. His sharp gaze jumped back to her. Her breath caught in her breast._

 _His eyes were so intimidating. She knew she was in the presence of a predator, her body knew. Instinct wanted to take over, told her to hide, to run. Her thudding heart and spinning mind convinced her to stay._

 _He would not harm her._

 _She wasn't sure how she could know that, but she did._

" _Why are you here now?" He asked her. She shook her head, her hair whipping into her eyes._

" _I don't... oh!" She suddenly remembered falling asleep, and the words said to her by her friend._

" _Kate!" That name seemed to mean nothing to him._

" _Kate...?" The name sounded funny coming from him, like he wasn't sure how to pronounce it. She nodded._

" _Or, I guess her real name is Kateikyōshi."_

 _Still, he didn't act like this was of any importance to him. Now she wasn't so sure of herself. The girl had been here, but maybe he didn't know her?_

" _Yeah, she told me to say 'sorry', and to ask if all was well." She mumbled. He rubbed a hand along his jaw, staring at the ceiling._

" _I can't say I know a 'Kate'. She sent you, you said?" Suzume shrugged. She wasn't so sure now if Kate 'sent' her, or just allowed her to sleep deeper._

" _Maybe not. I've been half delirious with exhaustion, maybe I imagined it." She stared at her finger nails, picking at a loose thread on her shorts._

 _She heard him hum._

 _She felt awkward; she didn't have anything to say. She looked around, looking for something to fill the silence._

" _What happened to the floor?" She heard him push his chair away from his desk, but didn't hear him move. He crouched low over the gouges in the floor._

" _A bit of a rough landing." He shifted to glance at her over his shoulder. "I was in a rush." He turned back, and waved his hand over the damage. The broken pieces screamed as they mended, small splinters flying back into place._

 _She clapped her hands over her ears, clenching her eyes shut until the noise died down._

 _When she did open her eyes, he was standing, walking slowly toward her._

" _I should replace it, perhaps with a stronger material, but it isn't high on my list of things to do." He delicately shrugged._

 _She still had her hands clamped over her ears when he lowered himself down in front of her. She looked away, unable to look into his face, not when it was so close. Instead, she stared at the collar of his shirt. He was in all gray, which suited his pale skin and made his hair look that much darker. She assumed he had been wearing the over coat she had on now. She watched the tendons and knot in his throat jump as he swallowed._

 _She licked her lips again, trying to work some moisture into her mouth._

" _That is a nasty mark." On reflex, she covered the Naga bite. The skin was permanently black. Kōsen had tried everything he could, and when that didn't work, he hired how many magic users to try and fix it. After a particularly painful attempt by a less than qualified user, Kōsen declared they would make no further attempts unless it began to affect her health._

 _He took her wrist gently, pulling her hand away. His fingers were cold._

 _His cool breath washed over her face, smelling like running water. Almost sweet, with a hint of earthiness._

 _She held her breath._

" _He tainted your skin. Not something easily healed. Thank the gods it seems to go no further than the skin. If it had gotten into the muscle, you'd have to lose the arm." Her eyes snapped to his face in fear, her hand reaching for the mark again._

 _His grip tightened, he was not looking at her. His gaze was fixed on the mark, his eyes almost glowing._

" _Your blood, it's been tainted as well. Not so much to be concerned about right now, but it is something that will need to be looked into down the road." With her free hand, she pushed against his chest, lightly pushing him away. He easily followed, sitting back on his heels._

 _She got the distinct feeling that if he didn't want to be pushed back, he wouldn't have been._

" _The Naga, he, it, filed a formal complaint." She whispered. He frowned, still holding on to her wrist._

 _She resisted the urge to brush his long hair out of the way of his eyes._

 _'You do not know this man like that.' She tried to remind herself, pulling her arm away._

" _Mas-" Her lips sealed shut, and she growled in frustration. He gave her a sympathetic look."aannndd myself, we have been called before the High Council. I don't know when, but I think it's in a few weeks." He nodded slowly._

 _She wanted to cry, but not here. Not in front of_ _**him**_ _. She ducked her head, covering her face with her free hand. She tried her hardest to hold back the hot tears, biting her lip._

 _He put an arm around her shoulders._

" _It's alright to be afraid. There is no shame in that." He murmured. A handkerchief appeared in her line of vision, and she took it gently._

" _If you find out the date, if possible, let me know." That was silly, she had no way of knowing if she'd ever come here again._

 _He stood quite suddenly._

" _Now, it is nearly dawn, I have no intentions of sleeping, so, while you are still here, would you like breakfast?" She stared up at him incredulously, the remaining tears dripping off her cheeks. He frowned, head cocking._

 _Just as quickly, the frown was gone and he was grinning._

" _Maybe we should get you some more decent clothing first." She glanced at herself. The room was indeed brighter than earlier, and her thin night clothes were not something she would willingly walk about it._

 _She blushed, pulling his jacket tighter around her self, giving his a cross look._

" _Pervert."_

 _He just laughed._

 _With a wave of his hand, a neatly folded stack of cloth appear before her face. It hovered in mid-air until she reached for it with both hands, then it dropped._

" _Go," The door to his bedroom opened with a quiet 'click'. "Get dressed. Maybe the food will be here by the time you're done."_

 _The room was just as she remembered it. The huge bed took up most of the room, a large chest of drawers was pressed against a far wall. The entire side wall was shoji screens, but they were tightly closed. She gripped the clothes, sneaking a peek around a corner. She didn't expect to see a large washroom. It had a black stone floor and rough sparkly sandstone walls. She didn't see any place for water to enter. There was an empty ceramic bowl sitting neatly on a side table, a tiny hand towel tucked under it._

 _She set her clothes softly on the side of the table, looking into the empty bowl. To her surprise, it suddenly filled with clear cool water. She dipped her fingertips in, swirling them around._

 _As fast as she could, she stripped down, splashed herself with the water, dried and tugged on the borrowed clothing._

 _Dark gray pants and a light blue tunic with a 'v' neck. She brushed the stray hairs out of her face. She walked back through the rooms._

 _She felt a burning start in her toes, a small tingling that made her think her toes were falling asleep. Out in the main room, there was a low table set up with some plates of steaming food. She stood there, unsure of what to do. She nearly jumped when he entered through the far door, holding a glass carafe of water._

" _Never trust the workers to bring fresh water." He growled, striding strongly through the room, setting it on the table._

 _He stood there watching her shuffle her feet._

" _Do you want to sit?" He asked._

 _She stared at the table, embarrassed._

 _Before she could respond, there was a knock on the door. His head snapped around so quickly, it looked like a blur._

 _The tall woman from all those years ago came through the door carrying a tray with a covered plate._

" _Haku, you've got the kitchen all in knots..." She stopped suddenly, eyeing Suzume standing next to Haku._

" _Oh, a girl." She placed the tray down on his desk, descending down on Suzume._

" _Rin..." Haku warned. The muscular woman circled her, once then twice. She almost felt like she was being looked over by Lady Sa-me, but that was normally a feeling of being hunted. This was like she was being appraised, being measured._

" _Wow Haku, I thought Yubaba was kidding. You know how long it took Ame to calm down?" The woman stopped in front of her, hands on her hips._

" _A bit thin, but pretty. I can see why you're trying to feed her." She laughed. Haku walked slowly to a cushion, settling himself down._

" _You don't recognize her?" He asked lightly. The woman, Rin, stared hard at her, then shook her head. The tingling had moved up to her hips, and she felt light headed._

" _Well, whatever, Haku. You do want you want, I'm not your babysitter. I just wouldn't have her here when Ame gets back. We've only just finished rebuilding after his last temper tantrum." With that, the woman left._

 _Suzume glanced at Haku._

 _He was staring idly at the plate of food, dishing them out. He looked like he was unhappy with those parting words._

 _She sat herself across from him._

" _You're disappearing." Were his strained words. She looked at herself, holding her arms up. Sure enough, she was see through._

" _Oh." She was disappointed. This was definitely the longest she had been here, and she didn't want to leave._

 _She looked at the food on her plate, knowing that if she reached for her utensils, the table would go through her hand._

" _Don't forget, try to find out when you are to see the High Council." She felt sick, like her stomach was being shaken up._

" _And try to eat some more." Her face felt hot, she could feel sweat forming on her upper lip._

" _And get more rest, you look exhausted." She nodded as his words, clenching her eyes closed to stop the world from spinning._

* * *

Her eyes blinked open. She was startled to see Kōsen leaning over her. He had an angry look on his face, his eyes blazing.

"What are you wearing?" He chirped. She glanced down, trying to make sense of the blue tunic she definitely hadn't gone to sleep in.


	12. Chapter 12

Shorter Chapter, I've already got 13 half way done, looking to get that up by Friday. Decide to split them, too much happening.

Thank you for the reviews. As always, I don't own anything. Please don't sue. Artwork belongs to Abby Diamond.

* * *

Chapter Twelve

"She was dead tired when she came in, she accidentally grabbed some of my clothes. It isn't that big of a deal..." Kate was silenced with a sharp look. Suzume looked about wildly, not sure what was going on.

Emi was nowhere to be seen, she was tangled up in the blankets and Kōsen had taken to pacing.

"You, you! This is the _end_ of your _services_." He spat at Kate. "I could turn a blind eye to your antics with the staff, your _whoring_ about. But this, this has gone too far!" He screeched.

Suzume wanted to cover her ears.

She still didn't quite understand what was happening, the throes of sleep still on her. It took a moment for the word 'whore' to breach her brain, bringing her to her feet, albeit clumsily.

"She's not a whore!" She exclaimed. Kōsen shot her a look this time, and she felt an incredible pressure drive her to her knees.

She gasped at the rough treatment.

"How dare you treat her like that!" Kate snarled. Suzume struggled to push to her feet, to fight Kōsen's will.

The two of them faced off, nearly toe to toe. Kōsen's flames swirled, not yet solid, more like shadows on the wall.

A fierce wind picked up within the room, whipping her hair in her face. Kate's eyes blazed in the dim light, two glowing orbs of deep blue.

"I warned you, **I warned you!** If I caught you using magic, I warned you, the consequences would be dire!" He trilled.

"You work her to death! Just look at her! She's exhausted, I was just helping her sleep!" Kate shouted.

Kōsen's flames died immediately down as he turned his gaze to her prone form. It was an obvious battle within him, the fire blazed in his eyes, underneath his skin. He seemed to glow from within, like embers buried deep in a dying fire.

Suzume gritted her teeth, driving herself upright, meeting his gaze with as strong of one she could manage.

He turned sharply to Kate, thrusting a pointed nail into her face.

"Pack your things, your _services_ are no longer required here. I shall have your pay for this month and the next sent directly to Madam Konotori. I will expect you gone by sun up." He said deceptively calm. He stood there a moment longer, staring the two of them down, before moving quickly out the door.

Suzume found she was shaking. Her hands trembled , her knees felt weak. She brushed a hand across her cheek, thinking she felt tears. Instead, she found her entire body speckled with water drops. It dripped from her hair, plastered her clothes.

She didn't understand.

The whole room was covered in the tiny glistening drops. Every surface sparkled in the low light, and the air felt heavy.

She looked to her friend, watching her shake. Her whole body vibrated, her eyes were dulled, and her hands were fisted at her sides.

"Kate...?" She didn't want to startle her. She could only imagine how the older girl must be feeling after having faced off with Kōsen.

Kate looked up at her, noticing perhaps for the first time all the water staining the room.

"Sorry..." She sighed. She placed bowl on the floor in front of her toes, held her hands up away from her body, then pulled them in close, clenching her fists.

Suzume felt a tug on her clothes, watching in awe as every drop removed itself from it's home and formed a small ball in front of Kate. She then released her hands, stretching her fingers out. The ball fell neatly into the bowl, sloshing a bit up the sides.

Suzume had always known Kate was a magic user, all spirits had _some_ magic; but to see such a display of power, it was terrifying.

She was no ordinary spirit, that had always been apparent.

She bit her lip, unable to take her eyes away from the water in the bowl. She looked into her friend's face, trying to memorize every line of her face.

She was going to lose yet another friend.

Because of Kōsen.

"Maybe, maybe if I talk to him. Maybe I can change his mind..." Suzume clutched at her clothes. Kate shook her head, reaching for Suzume, gripping her arms.

"No! No. Listen to me, you listen to me, alright? He is a _**dangerous**_ man, please, don't do anything that will upset him. Please, you must promise me, promise you won't spend anymore time in his company than necessary. You do as he says, do whatever it is he tells you to do, no complaints." Kate held her arms tightly, her fingers cold.

Suzume's brain was spinning.

"You do what ever it is he wants, you smile that sweet smile of yours, you laugh with Emi, you get your work done. You just wait." Kate held her hand, pressing an icy cold kiss to the back of it. Suzume shook her head, not understanding. The look of frightful determination on her friend's face scared her.

"Wait for what?" She asked. Kate let her go, turning her back to gather just a handful of thing.

"I know you have a ton of questions, and if you just wait, be patient, you'll get your answers. But you _must_ be patient Suzume."

She watched her toss the few things she had collected into a small bag.

"I must be going, I need to be going. I'm so sorry Suzume." Kate turned on her quickly, grabbing her up into a tight hug.

Suzume barely had time to react, trying to breathe through the iron embrace.

"Remember your training, keep it up. Don't skip meals, no matter how busy you get, and try to get some more sleep. Your health is everything." Kate held her at arms length, studying her. "Be safe Suzume."

She could feel the tears start to prick her eyes. Kate stepped away from her, brushing some hair behind her ear.

She rubbed her hands across her eyes, trying to wipe them dry.

She could hold out no longer when she opened her eyes to see she was alone in the room.

She stood there for a few minutes allowing her emotions to get the better of her, then, she scrubbed her face with her shirt and set to straightening the room.

* * *

Emi seemed incredibly chipper for having been told Kate was gone. It had been days and Suzume waited for the plummet in mood that was surely to arrive.

It never did.

She showed up to meals, copious amounts of food in tow.

She made small chit chat with everyone, kept her sarcastic comments to herself.

She was just too chipper.

Suzume rested her chin on her hand, elbow braced on the table. She just watched Emi walk back and fourth in her room, tidying up things that weren't out of place.

"It's alright to be sad." She murmured, watching her friend's anxious movements. "I'm sad."

Emi dropped down beside her, flopping on her back.

"I'm not _sad_." Suzume spared her a disbelieving look to which Emi rolled her eyes. "Really, I'm not. I'm _mad_."

Suzume laid down next to her, staring at the ceiling.

"At Kōsen?" She sighed. Emi shook her head back and forth, rubbing her hands across her face.

"No, no. I mean yes, but no. I can understand his anger, she was tampering with one of his spells, of course he would be alerted!" She threw her hands toward the ceiling, stretching her arms out. "But Kate, such an idiot! She had to've known! I know she felt she had to do _something_ , but it didn't have to be so big! She could have been a bit more, I don't know, tactful? Ugh!" She cried, dropping her hands unceremoniously to her chest.

Suzume sat up, turning to glance at her.

"She was messing with a spell?" She questioned her. Emi rolled her eyes again, pulling on her own hair.

"Think about it Suz, after you ran away," Emi ignored the protest that she hadn't 'run away'. "Semantics. Anyway, when you _accidentally_ ran away, Kōsen and his weird obsession with you; you think he'd let something like that happen again?"

Suzume turned to stare at a far wall.

Kōsen seemed more and more unhinged in the last few days. He prowled the floors looking for Kate, not believing that she had gone so quickly.

He had shouted and trilled at all the staff, snapping at Suzume especially.

She kept her head down and her eyes averted.

He would then storm off in a fit of rage.

It was getting tiresome trying to scrub all the scorch marks from the floors and walls.

"He isn't going to let me ever leave, is he?" She whispered, already knowing the answer. She felt Emi sit up, draping an arm over her shoulders.

She glanced at her from the corner of her eye.

"Is he going to kill me?" The startled look of her friend only slightly comforted her. At least she wasn't the only one in the dark about some things.

"He's using me, I don't know what for or why, but he is." She suppressed a cry that wanted to explode from her chest.

"I don't think he's done anything yet, I think he's still planning. I feel like I would know, I don't know how, but I would **know** , I'm sure of it." She said resolutely. Emi patted her back, making a sympathetic noise in the back of her throat.

"If he is planning, he is taking his time. Nine years, it'll be a damn good plan, whatever it is." Her friend murmured, clapping her hands together.

She couldn't say why, but that statement made her want to laugh.

She held a hand to her mouth, trying to smother it.

But it was not to be, the giggle escaped.

"I guess, I should hope it's a fantastic plan..." She laughed outright. Then laughed harder at the look Emi was giving her.

"I mean, if it's involving me, better be the best damn plan in existence!" She managed to gasp between bouts of laughter. Emi just shook her head, unable to keep the smile from her face.

"Well, if anyone is going to have a plan made about them, it should be you Suz." Emi chuckled, standing.

Suzume grabbed her hand, calming herself.

"Why's that?" She asked. Emi pulled her to her feet, smiling a mischievous grin.

"You've got a protector, Kate said so herself." She laughed, pulling Suzume along as she left the room.

"Which is why I'm not sad. I'll tell you a secret." Suzume stared in apprehension at her friend's back as they dashed through the halls, struggling not to trip over the shorter girl's feet as she nearly overtook her.

They burst through a screen, stumbling into a balcony railing, overlooking the massive gardens.

Emi leaned over, looking down into a pond of water below.

Suzume peered over, unsure what she was looking for.

She watched the large fish swim circles around one another.

It was dizzying.

She felt her eyes tire, gripped tighter to the rail in fear she might fall over.

She struggled to follow more than one of the creatures as they spun and twirled underwater.

She could feel her eyelids droop, could hear her heart beating slowly, feel her pulse rush in her neck.

She could feel herself lean forward on the rail, bracing her weight against it, enjoying the lulling in her brain.

Suddenly bright feral green eyes blinked into existence in her mind. Her eyes snapped open and she jumped back with a cry.

"Haku!"

Emi gave a startled shriek in response, but Suzume ignored her, clenching her eyes closed. The other pair of eyes were gone though.

"Haku? Didn't you see Kate? Who's Haku?" Emi whispered, remembering that their conversation was very much out in the open.

Who's Haku?

Who's _Haku_?

The question spun round and round.

She needed an answer, to any of her questions.

And she knew how to get an answer to this question.

She turned to stare back into the hall and was not surprised at all to see Kōsen standing there.

"Emi, I have to go."

"Don't do anything stupid Suz." Emi warned.

"No promises."

* * *

Review, please and thank you!


	13. Chapter 13

So a bit late. Sorry. Thank you for the reviews.

Enjoy.

The first arc of this story is almost over.

* * *

Chapter 13

She had never felt so contained by four walls as she had while in his office now.

"I need answers. I cannot be kept in the dark much longer." She said, trying to fake as much confidence as she could.

Kōsen had been leaning against the windowsill when she came in, he was still there, staring out at gods knew what.

She wanted to pound on his back, make him face her.

This golden man who had done so much for her, who had literally taken her from the streets; She wanted so much more from him, wanted to run far away from him.

Haku was the unknown.

He was lovely and tantalizing, and most of all, forbidden.

Who was she to throw all that had been done for her back in _this_ man's face?

She held her breath, tried to suppress the urge to yell at his back, scream at him to be honest with her.

He had told her right from the beginning that he had ulterior motives, she had known his interest in Haku from the start.

But never once had she thought he posed a danger to her, or to Haku, until these past few years.

Haku just felt _right_.

"Who is Haku..." He turned a sharp glare in her direction when she spoke, but she would not waver even as her knees shook. "...to you?" She manged to finish in a whisper.

She was absolutely sure he heard her.

He peered out the window again, and she feared he was going to ignore her. Her heart clogged her throat, sweat forming in the lines of her brow.

'Answer me.' She thought fiercely. 'Look me in the face, answer me!' She was screaming in her head. Her lips trembled.

His body shifted, facing her, as he lowered himself to half sit on the frame. His burning eyes studied her.

The eyes that once incited such fear within her, she wouldn't look away.

She **refused** to look away.

"I need an answer." She said quietly.

He was silent.

She fought to control her breathing.

"When my daughter was born, I knew I would never feel for anyone else what I felt for her. She completed my world." He dropped his hands into his lap, his shoulders slumping. He looked to the ceiling.

"My mate, she took ill after the difficult birth. She did not last long, and I swore that I would make sure my daughter never wanted for anything." He stood slowly, walking to a chair across from his desk. He settled neatly into it, waving for her to take the one next to him.

She shook her head.

"I'd rather stand." She replied.

He ran a hand through his already tousled hair.

"Perhaps I was too obliging to that girl, she was very spoiled. Of course I knew, but I could never say no to her. But, it comforted me that she had her mother's mannerisms. She was kind, and generous. She was spirited, always wanting to do more, see more. She badgered me until she was blue in the face, to let her travel about, to see the world, help those who were less fortunate. How could I say no?" He smiled, but his eyes were not there.

His normally painfully bright eyes seemed dull and muddled.

"I knew I would dread the day another spirit took her from me, and for a while, I tricked myself into thinking she would stay here forever. She wanted for nothing, until all she wanted was someone. She pined over this man, she refused all food, all drink. Nothing brought her joy, she was a shell of her former self."

Suzume found herself half sitting anyway. But her body, it was prepared to run. Her mind clung to his words, yet shied away.

She didn't want to hear this; she knew she wouldn't like what he had to say. Her nails dug into the wood of the chair, anchoring her to her spot.

Unexpectedly, his eyes blazed, his skin crackled and burned.

"I sought him out. I wanted to know who was this man that had captured my beloved so, to reduce her to nothing." His teeth ground together.

He was hunched over, rubbing his hands together.

"I found the him almost amiably. Standoff-ish, and powerful, but humble and honest. He was working under a witch, had been for some years. I thought perhaps that is why they, my daughter and him, could not be together. If he was under contract, he could not take my daughter as a mate. I offered to buy him off the witch, bartered and threatened finally. She said his contract had long ago been broken, by a _human_ no less. But that mattered not to me. If he was not bound by a contract, what was the issue?" He sighed, slumping back into his chair.

His back hit with a solid 'thump', but he didn't seem to care.

Her fingers ached, her jaw ached, her head and heart ached.

This story needed to end.

"I asked my daughter, she too thought he was under contract, had been led to believe he was by another woman, one she considered her friend. Upon finding out he was not, she begged me to let her go to him, she swore she would never forgive me if I stopped her. So, I let her." He glanced at her. She shifted uncomfortably under his gaze.

"When I saw you standing in the dark that first day we met, I was sure the gods had given her back to me." He shook his head ruefully, turning his gaze to the floor.

Suzume felt compelled to ask.

"What happened?" Her tongue felt too big for her mouth. He held a hand to his face.

"I was away on business when I received the message. He killed her. She stood in his way of another woman, her friend, and he picked her friend. The last I ever saw of my daughter, she was begging me to let her go to the man she loved, and he killed her. I will _**never**_ forgive him." He moaned.

She pressed a hand to her mouth, wanting to be sick.

"No, Haku, he, that isn't him!" She exclaimed.

But she knew it was _possible;_ shehad _seen_ him kill before.

The image of the garden worker, his blood painting the walls, flashed before her eyes.

She was startled when Kōsen was on his feet; she hadn't even seen him move!

He strode back and fourth, his chest heaving as he took huge amounts of air in.

"I would strike him down now if only I could! He deserves the worst sort of punishment!" He trilled, his voice so high she thought she heard a window pane crack.

He grabbed her strongly by the shoulders, shaking her.

"He is a bad man Suzume!" He shrieked. She grabbed his arm, trying to stop the shaking. Her skin felt scalded from touching him, her palms burning.

He stumbled back, bumping into his desk.

He seemed just as shocked as she was, reaching out for her reddened hands. She pulled away, darting around him.

He let her go.

She scurried out the door, down the halls, and through the House. She managed to not trip as she took each stair case two steps at a time, until she stumbled into the laundry rooms.

Steam instantly made her hair cling to her face.

She ignored the pounding of her heart and the obviously looks of surprise from the workers as she searched out Emi.

Emi didn't even ask, she just took Suzume by the wrists, and half dragged her through a few more sets of doors.

She sat her on an over turned crate in what looked like a linen closest, dabbing a greasy ointment on her fingertips.

Neither said anything.

* * *

After her hands were carefully bandaged, she moved quietly through the House. She struggled to slid screens open, never realizing how much she used her hands.

But she managed to get to her room.

She managed to hold it all in until her door was closed.

Staring at the empty room, she sank to her knees, cradling her wounded appendages close, and vomited on the floor.

Nothing made sense any more.

Had it ever made sense?

* * *

It took her a few hours to calm herself down, but by the time dinner service rolled around, she had managed to replace the sticky bandages and get herself down to the kitchens.

No one made eye contact with her, no one questioned her hands or when she dropped the sixth bowl with a wince.

She received a smack to her elbow when she reached for the pieces from a small set of hands. She was more startled at the glare Kimi was treating her to than the quiet command of 'Go help on the floor'.

With a glance back to make sure she hadn't imagined the hateful look, which she was sure she hadn't, she moved to the entrance to greet guests.

* * *

Days passed.

Kōsen avoided her.

If they crossed paths, she was sure to bow.

He was out of sight by the time she rose.

Her burns healed; her skin was mostly unmarred.

With deep breaths, and busy nights, she was able to pretend that she wasn't terrified. She was able to pretend that nothing had happened, that it was all in her head.

But what she couldn't do, she could not get the image of the Beast slaying a helpless girl for declaring her love.

Could she believe Haku capable of such a thing?

Of course he was _capable_.

Could she believe Haku would do such a thing?

This made her balk.

She couldn't wrap her mind around it.

Her stomach was in knots all day.

This hadn't solved anything, it just shifted the person she needed answer from.

But she didn't know how to get in touch with him.

Or maybe she did.

Kate had used magic to put her to sleep. Her mind had done the rest.

This gave her an idea.

Turning, she slipped into an elevator, waiting until she was alone before pulling the level all the way down.

After a quiet 'click', she began the quick journey to the upper floors.

It was silent on this floor, everyone downstairs to enjoy the night life.

She stood before a door she never thought she'd willingly be seeking out.

Her teeth chattered, her fingers shook.

She curled them into tight fists, clenching her jaw to steel herself.

Closing her eyes, she took a deep breath.

She raised her hand slowly, resting her knuckles on the cool wood, trying to summon the courage to knock.

She pulled her hand back, staring at the wood grains, willing them to open.

"Lady Sa-me is not in currently."

She froze.

Every muscle in her body locked into place, her eyes bugled in her head, her lungs burned for oxygen.

She managed to pivot on her toes, just enough to see the tall form of Kōsen.

He watched her cautiously, as if she was the one to be fearful of.

She licked her lips, trying to work her jaw muscles lose so that she could say something, anything, about why she was here.

Vaguely, in the far depths of her mind, the rebellious part of her exclaimed that it was none of his business. She did her job efficiently enough that if a guest was needed, or requested something, she would be sure to hand deliver whatever it was.

The little girl in her cowered at the authority figure and the possibility that she might be displeasing him.

The woman in her feared this man who was stronger both physically, and magically, than herself.

She was nothing, a weakling.

She relied on a Beast to save her, to fight her battles.

She stared just off his shoulder, unable to make eye contact; opening her mouth to speak, but nothing came out.

She tried again, swallowing thickly.

Again, her voice had fled.

But some god, somewhere, took the slightest bit of pity on her, because Kōsen spoke up.

"I have been meaning to seek you out. I owe you an apology." He held a hand out to her, something hidden by his fingers.

Without much thought, she stretched her hand out to receive it.

He dropped a small container in her waiting fingers.

It was heavy and green, glass. It smelled potent. It made her want to sneeze. Her fingers curled around the smooth edges, pulling it close to her body.

"That will clear up any lingering marks or pain. Use it sparingly, the side affects can be numerous." He offered softly.

She nodded absently, still trying to form words.

He turned his back, arms clasped behind him.

"When are we to go to the Council?" She wheezed out.

She bit her lip, unbelieving of what she had said.

He never paused, waving over his shoulder.

"A fortnight."

A fortnight.

That soon!

She needed to reach Haku.


	14. Chapter 14

I forgot what day it was, my week is all messed up. Sorry.

A long chapter to make up for not posting on Wednesday.

Thank you for the reviews.

Thank you for reading.

I don't own the works, merely borrowing for creative release. Artwork belongs to Abby Diamond, I'll get her link posted up in my profile in a bit.

I'm excited for the next chapter, there will be a huge event. Any guesses?

Enjoy! I'll edit this in a few days, so forgive the few typos.

* * *

Chapter 14

"Yowch!" She hissed, turning to face her attacker, rubbing her rib. They were lost in the hall of bodies.

This had been going on for days. It had been years since she had experienced this kind of pettiness. She had received more knuckles and elbows into her rib cage in these past few days than she had in years. What surprised her more was that most of the hate came from the younger girls.

They just barely listened to her commands, though they hadn't yet taken to vocally refusing.

She didn't know what the problem was, but she tried not to feed into it.

Instead, she focused on how she was going to reach Haku.

Any simple attempts she had made over the last few days had ended in nothing more than a good nights sleep.

She had eleven more days before they headed to see the Council.

Eleven days and she had no idea how to reach Haku.

She spent countless hours during work wondering if she _wanted_ to see him. What would she say to him?

 _'Hey Haku, did you kill Kōsen's daughter out of spite?'_

Or better yet,

 _'Oh, good news Haku, I know someone who wants to kill you, and he might use me to do it.'_

That would go over real well.

But she still wanted to see him, to ask him what had happened.

Surely Kōsen had to be biased, how could he have known?!

She bit her lip.

Or maybe, maybe he was lying out right.

A shiver raced up her spine.

A dark side of her _**wanted**_ him to be lying, wanted him to be completely delusional.

She didn't want it to be true, she didn't want to believe Haku would do such a thing.

The House had been quiet for some hours.

She couldn't sleep, couldn't close her eyes. She sat on the balcony floor, watching the last of the night sky fade.

The sun would be up soon.

She lounged out, enjoying the cooler weather.

She didn't know what to do, didn't know what her next step was.

With a sigh, she rubbed a hand across her face.

She wished Kate was here to give her advice; Emi was a good friend, but she wasn't great at giving advice.

Emi was the one she went to when things needed to be done.

Needed to sneak out of the House?

Emi could manage.

Needed to set up a staff party?

Emi could get it done.

Needed to get some stiffer libations into the House?

Emi knew someone for that too.

Kate was the planner.

She saw ahead, and was ready for pretty much anything.

Did you sneak out of the House and not figure out a way back in?

Kate was sure to keep a side door unlatched.

The staff party you set up get a bit too wild?

Kate managed to convince the floor manager that it was a guest idea.

Unable to hold your liquor?

Kate was there with a cool cloth and some foul tasting medicine.

And now there was just Emi and her.

This was why Emi and Kate argued so often, they were always at odds, with Suzume smack dab in the middle.

What would they do without Kate to balance them out?

She found Emi on that balcony a few times, staring down into that pond.

Never would she admit to anyone that she was there to see if it could put her under the trance again.

Her head clunked against the wood as she turned to look past the balcony at the dimming lights of the city.

'You need to do _something_ Suzume.'

She sighed again.

The breeze was more fantastic than she could say. It smelled like rain, sweet and earthy.

A sudden pounding in her chest had her jolting upright.

She grasped at her breast, trying to find why her heart was suddenly thudding away.

Her blood pounded in her head.

The feeling faded, but the sweat on her brow told her she hadn't imagined it.

She grabbed at her skin, massaging it, trying to find reason for the sudden shock to her body, but nothing stood out.

Sleep would not come easy tonight.

Restlessness burned through her, flowed in the same path as her blood. It electrified her body.

Pushing to her feet, she quietly made her way through her room, the halls, the stairs. The elevator would be too loud, she might wake someone.

* * *

Before long, she stood before the entrance.

It had been closed up for the remainder of the night, the lamps darkened.

She reached out for the door, and wasn't surprised to find it closed tight. It would not budge under her slight touch. She gripped it tighter, trying to force it open.

The whole frame tremored under her fingertips, the glance panes rattling.

She gritted her teeth and shoved her weight into it, willing the door to open.

It's shaking grew more violent the harder she tried, and with a huff she let it go.

She stood there staring at the piece of wood and glass hatefully.

The panes were too small to see much through, especially with the darkness pressing in from both sides.

She almost thought she could see the No-Face hovering on the edge of the property, but with a shake of her head, the image was gone.

Her hairs stood on end as a shiver raced up her spine.

Her body told her to run.

Don't look, just run.

The room to the left had two additional doors leading further into the House, one led right to a small stairwell.

If she could just get there fast enough-

No.

She refused to run.

Nothing in this House would scare her anymore.

She mentally berated herself for wanting to always run.

That didn't mean she wasn't able to turn around.

It took her a full minute, maybe an hour, it certainly felt that long, before she had the guts.

She wanted to heave a sigh of relief at seeing Emi standing there in her work clothes, but it was **not** Emi. Even though the person was cast in darkness, and at first glance, looked to be Emi's silhouette, it most assuredly was not her friend.

"What are you doing out of bed?" She managed to squeak out. Not very commanding for a floor manager, but she wasn't in the right mind anyway.

The girl didn't move, her arms hanging limply by her sides.

Suzume turned her head slightly, noticing something gripped tightly in a closed fist.

A lump formed in her throat.

"Get back to your room!" She was able to bark, trying to contain her fear, trying to _hide_ her fear.

The girl didn't move.

Taking a step backwards, she watched intently.

Again, the girl made no motion to follow.

It was painfully slow, seeming to take forever to get into the next room, having managed to not bump into anything.

She swiftly closed the door between them, placing the bar down to lock it.

With numb hands, and feet, she climbed the steps on all fours, unable to keep herself upright.

She saw no sight of the girl again in the floors between.

Locked away safely in her room, she growled at herself for being so foolish.

Maybe the worker had been sleep walking?

Maybe she had come to investigate what the noise was at the door.

Maybe she was ill?

She then felt terrible for having left, what if the girl had needed help, she just left her there. She hadn't even asked _who_ it was, she could have lit a lamp!

Huddling down in her blanket, the screens closed firmly, her eyes clenched shut, she fought off the foreboding feeling of something going wrong.

Something was happening, but she didn't know what.

* * *

She was especially watchful of the girls, her sharp eyes looking for one that looked excessively tired. Nothing stood out.

Rubbing her face, she was convinced she was losing her mind.

She grimaced when someone passed by, stomping hard on her foot.

A slew of curse words readied themselves on the tip of her tongue, but she bit it hard, tasting blood. She grabbed the girl by the back of her bright red kimono.

A dancing girl.

The girl was more shocked than she expected her to be.

"Did you think I would not confront you?" She hissed out at the pretty spirit. A young girl, with wide set pink eyes, a flat nose and scarlet lips. Her skin was a tawny color, her dark hair pulled into a tight bun.

She was pretty, until she opened her mouth.

A gummy hiss that sent spittle flying.

"Ssso sssorry Misstressss Sssuzume." The girl lisped with a sneer. She grimaced, letting her clothes go.

"Don't let it happen again." She replied gruffly, waving the girl off. The girl _thing_ treated her to a scathing glare, and before Suzume could say anything about it, had darted off down the hall, joining with a few of the other young girls.

This time she rubbed her temples, trying to reign in her temper.

Ten days.

* * *

She bowed lightly to a lesser known forest god. He was trying to make it to the Bath House, his old body worn from all his trees being cut down. She held his arm lightly as she helped him into the elevator. He grinned lightly at her, the deep rivets in his face crackling at the motion. She felt like her energy was being sapped from her.

She pulled her hand away, eying him wearily.

He frowned, but not for long, giving her a nod of the head.

"You must understand, I need to get to the Bath House, and I haven't the energy myself. Forgive me." His voice was wispy, and raw.

She frowned but nodded.

Maybe it would help her sleep.

As the elevator lurched into motion, she leaned against a wall.

Nine days.

* * *

She couldn't believe it came to this.

She peered around the hall, making sure no one could see her, there was no Kōsen sneaking up on her, and no shadow workers lingered.

Her knock was crisp and loud.

She immediately wanted to leave, go back to the heat of the kitchen, or business of the main dining room. She could feel the thunder of talk and laughter below her feet.

The door opened though and there was no turning back.

One of the maids (they all looked the same, did they even have names?) answered, the door not even opening all the way.

She struggled with her words, not sure what she wanted to say.

"Uh, I've come, I need to speak with your mistress, um Lady Sa-me that is..." She trailed off miserably. The maid watched her with her black eyes before closing the door in her face.

She blinked, not realizing she was staring at the coarse grains of the wood, not the weird little worker.

With a roll of her eyes, she began to walk away, when the door opened again.

This time there was more than one maid.

Infact, she was sure she could count nearly 15 heads, they all stared at her.

She felt uneasy, trying to quell a nervous jump when she felt the tell-tale presence in her head.

" _Calm girls, I am here."_ Instantly the maids' heads fell to stare at the floor in perfect unison. It was impressive in fact, watching them file back into the room, lining themselves up along the wall.

Lady Sa-me was leaning against the door into her bedroom, a plain fan of purple fanning her face gently.

She motioned for Suzume to come in.

In halted steps, she found herself into the room, staring dazedly at the table.

" _Please. Sit."_ As if commanded, her knees buckled, and she plopped unceremoniously on to the small cushion.

Her back end protested the rough treatment.

" _Tell me, what brings you here?"_

Did _she_ even know?

Yes, of course she knew.

But did she have the heart to speak it?

She licked her lips, focusing on the painted face of the woman.

Her robes were especially ornate despite her fan being rather plain.

The woman shrugged, as if reading her thoughts.

" _I was not expecting company."_ Suzume shrugged in return. Made sense to her.

Her tongue felt too big for her mouth.

Her head ached.

" _I hear you were at my door a few nights ago, what happened?"_ Lady Sa-me asked not unkindly.

The answer to this came quickly, and without much thought.

"I lost my nerve." She said. Lady Sa-me treated her to what could be considered a pitiful look.

" _And now?"_

Suzume gazed off at the wall behind the woman, trying to focus on something.

"And now... I'm trying to find it again." She cleared her throat. "I'm trying to find _him_." She said slowly, as if testing each word before she spoke.

Lady Sa-me blinked a few times before she tilted her head slightly, her long hair falling over one delicate shoulder.

" _And you think I could help?"_

Suzume nodded absently, crushing her fingers together in nervousness.

"I need magic, to put me to sleep. That's the only way I can see _him_ , and, and, I _need_ to see him, to speak with him, it's important!" She rushed, trying to get her whole story on the table.

Lady Sa-me leaned back into the wall, her eyes drilling into Suzume.

" _What makes you think I **would** help?"_ The woman fanned herself, flashing frightening teeth every now and then.

Suzume gaped like a landed fish.

That wasn't the answer she expected.

"So, you won't help me?" She wheezed. What if Lady Sa-me went to Kōsen? She didn't know what he'd do to her.

The room was silent.

She waited for the answer on baited breath.

Lady Sa-me's eyes glanced away, staring at the maids against the wall before drifting back to her.

" _No. Find another way to start your war, I'll not put myself in the middle."_ The breathy sigh rattled around in her head.

She didn't know _what_ she expected, but a flat out rejection was not something that had even entered her mind.

She felt _stupid_. This woman was not her friend, was more likely an enemy, and here she was, practically begging to be magicked into oblivion.

She stood suddenly, walking out the door without so much as a perfunctory bow.

Eight days.

* * *

She was losing her mind. This was fact.

She couldn't sleep, kept seeing workers hiding in the shadows, and now, she was striding through the bright sunshine in the gardens about to do something stupid.

Lady Sa-me had passed her in the hall earlier, hinting that if she truly wanted to dig her own grave, she didn't need magic to do it.

That got her thinking.

She didn't need magic to put her to sleep, she needed to get her brain to allow her to _dream_.

So here she was, about to do something so dangerously stupid, it should be written in some type of record book.

Garden workers were not the brightest group, but they were loyal to each other. She had grown to know a few of them though she wouldn't consider any of them true 'friends'. But from these acquaintances, she had learned some valuable information on others, how to handle them, more importantly, how **not** to offend them.

Or in this case, offend them as much as she could.

She found the man she was looking for, a lanky thing standing well above her stature. He was digging some type of hole, most likely for the tree that lay ready to be planted.

He saw her coming, stopping his work.

With a silent apology, she opened her mouth and spewed forth the most hateful words she had ever spoken.

It didn't take but a few minutes of him yelling at her to shut her damn mouth, and her yelling louder, for him to stalk closer, his hands gripping his shovel tightly.

His knuckles were white.

She watched him approach, her breath coming in short gasps, unbelieving of what she was about to let happen.

Once he was in striking distance, he seemed to hesitate, unsure of why she wasn't running.

With a growl to bolster her fading confidence, she spit at him.

That was all it took.

His dirty finger nails were the last thing she saw, closing her eyes quickly as the shovel swung at her face.

She felt the metal make impact with the side of her head, felt the explosion in her brain, felt her knees buckle.

She tasted the dirt as she breathed it in, panting as wave after wave of pain and nausea burst through her body.

The heady smell of blood painted the air.

She felt the man kneeling by her, shaking her shoulder, telling her to get up.

She could hear the voices of other workers, someone was screaming at them to get back inside.

She could see nothing.

She could move nothing.

After what felt like forever lying in that terrible place, her pain dulled. Warmth spread across her body, starting in her head, radiating downward.

When she felt it reach her toes, she sighed gently, glad to be rid of it.

Her mind finally succumbed to the inky blackness of unconsciousness.

Seven days.

* * *

Her face had definitely seen better days.

It swelling had only gotten worse, and the bruising had migrated all the way across the bridge of her nose.

When she had awoken, to a ripe roaring headache might she add, she was in Kōsen's office. She'd been too miserable to remember if she had dreamed at all, and hadn't been able to clearly answer any questions demanded of her.

The healer had determined a concussion, and bed rest.

Kōsen had determined her mad, and she hadn't yet seen Emi, but from what she understood, the staff thought she was dead.

She choked down another dose of the sticky red medicine the healer had given her, then pulled the covers over her head.

Four days.

* * *

She paced the halls feeling like a caged animal. Kōsen had been on her like a hawk, and she didn't know how much more she could take before she snapped. Her face and head were healing nicely, although she got terrible headaches nearly every day.

She nearly slammed right into Lady Sa-me as the woman turned a corner gracefully. She held her head as she stopped suddenly, trying to ignore the pounding.

Lady Sa-me gave a slight head bow. Suzume didn't return it, just glared, but even _that_ hurt her head.

" _Watch your manners girl."_ Oddly enough, the tinkling voice didn't hurt her head any. She had braced for explosions and was gratefully let down.

Suzume covered her eyes briefly, trying to block out some of the senses.

"It didn't work." She murmured.

She felt the woman breeze past her, her laughter echoing in Suzume's head.

" _No, I did not think it would."_

Suzume wanted to growl at her, but the woman was already down the hall.

She held her hands to her head and made for Kōsen's office.

She needed some sleep, and perhaps some more drugs.

Two days.

* * *

She blinked wearily at the figure of Kōsen.

He was dressed in ornate robes that flowed around him. Burning hues of gold and red emblazoned with the seal of the House.

His hair was ruffled, standing on end, and his boots were much too contrasting of a black. All her attention was drawn to his feet.

Maybe that's the affect he was aiming for?

She was dressed in her cream work clothes with a small brown satchel containing the vial of medicine to ease her headaches, the cream for her hands if they ached, and the pouch of coins she had been given so many years ago.

She spent what little pocket change she got so frugally, she'd probably be able to buy her own train ticket at this point.

She was startled when Kōsen whisked a dark brown cloak over his shoulders. She frowned, what was the point of dressing in such ostentatious colors if you were going to hide it all with a heavy cloak?

He beckoned to her.

"We must go, or we shall miss our hearing time." His voice was quiet. He had thankfully made the effort to not destroy what brain cells she had left and keep his voice low the past few days. She had been reduced to sobbing heaps whenever he got shrill.

She was sure he'd been putting off interrogating her for answers until her head healed fully.

She prayed to the gods her head healed fully, and quickly.

She closed her eyes, clenching her teeth as he pulled her close, whether from his proximity, from fear of his flames, or from the spinning the world did around them, she couldn't say.

Probably a bit of each.

When she was able to finally open her eyes after her feet felt firmly planted on the ground, she gasped, both in pain and awe.

The city was so bright, so alive! It made her head hurt, but she couldn't close her eyes. She whirled around, trying to look at everything.

An overly warm hand settled on her shoulder, guiding her along.

"Welcome to Civitas Aurum." He murmured.

She shivered at his closeness, but was too unsure of the spirits around her to shy far from his protection.

With hurried steps, he ushered them into a tall building surrounded by huge pillars of marble.

"We must hurry." He urged, never stopping to ask where it is they were supposed to be.

At last, he slowed, idling by a pair of doors larger than she had ever seen before. A great story was carved out on each one, but she couldn't say what it was telling. The mighty doors never opened, it would take far too long to close them each time. They stood four times her height, and dwarfed her nine or ten times.

Instead, a small ante-door was used for coming and going people. It opened swiftly and without assistance.

She was startled to find Kōsen had left her side and she hadn't even noticed until he appeared next to her once more.

No one paid them any attention, spirits just went about their busy lives, ignoring the girl blocking up the massive hall.

He grabbed her by the elbow.

"Sit, we have some time before we will be called."

He forcefully guided her to a stiff wooden bench, pushing her to sit.

She didn't feel the urge to fight him.

She was lost to the business of the place, to the grandeur. Never had she seen such splendor.

She closed her eyes, trying to calm herself.

An image of an old cottage flickered before her.

It was nestled in a damp forest, some fields cleared for planting but holding nothing.

A bouncing light made her dizzy.

This place felt warm, comforting. It was dim and homely, no bright colors to assault her eyes, no flurry of spirits to bang into her.

She settled into this image, knowing it wasn't real.

It was a _memory_.

Of what, she did not know, but she'd take comfort in knowing she had memories, even if they were fleeting.

Even this one now, it slipped from her mind like water.

But she let it go knowing she wouldn't be able to hold on to it.

If she tried to recall it, she wouldn't be able to give but a vague description.

So she sat quietly until Kōsen told her to stand.

He brought them before the smaller door, tucked his hand against her back, the other resting on the sword sheathed at his waist.

She faced forward, not knowing what would be on the other side of the door, but not a single drop of fear entered her mind.

Instead, she felt incredibly empty.

Had she been successful, Haku might have been here. She might have gotten some answers to her questions.

But she couldn't focus on that right now.

She had to pay attention to what was happening at present.

She was ready to meet the Naga head on, ready to defend herself. The mark on her shoulder hadn't faded much at all and she would prove that she was no push over.

Taking a deep breath, she exhaled slowly.

The door swung open on its own, and they entered.

* * *

Review please!


	15. Chapter 15

Hello Lovelies. A quick update, a short chapter. This is mostly filler, sorry. The next one is all the meat and potatoes. Thank you for the reviews, I'm curious to see if this will reach 2k views before the end of the month. This is hands down the longest running fanfic I've done (Although I've removed all the incomplete ones I had written).

There is alot more to the story, it isn't wrapping up any time soon, but I couldn't say how many chapters it will be.

Thank you all for sticking with me. I feel like I'm just as excited when I post a chapter, I'm definitely trying to write something I would want to read.

I'm sure there will be twists and turns that not everyone likes, but I hope overall, nobody is too disappointed.

Anywho, thank you for reading. Glad to see some new reviewers, and thank you to those who are consistent in their reviews. It really is much appreciated.

Enjoy.

(Edited 06/22)

* * *

Chapter Fifteen

The men who sat before her were nothing special.

They exuded no great power, they commanded no amount of attention.

She and Kōsen stood before a dais, facing the six men who were idly scratching away at their papers. She shuffled her feet, unsure if they were supposed to say something.

"What are they waiting for?" She whispered.

He leaned forward slightly, lowering his mouth to her ear.

"Keep quiet." He cooed, placing a restraining hand on her shoulder.

It was some moments before one of the men looked up.

He glanced at them, but his eyes passed over her with no interest.

One by one, each of the six raised their heads, looking her over before settling on Kōsen.

"It has been some years Kōsen. We are glad to hear you've stayed out of trouble, up until this point that is..."

The man who spoke was probably the most identifiable one out of the group. His skin was a tawny orange color with large darkened spots. His eyes were large and golden, but no heat burned from within.

He was a large man, but sitting upon his high chair, he seemed no more a threat than the guards at the doors.

His eyes jumped to her and she jolted.

Only Kōsen's hand kept her in place.

She stepped closer to him, wanting to hide behind his body, feeling like she was pinned to where she stood.

"One of your contracts?" The man asked off-handed. Kōsen merely nodded. The man leaned on to his arm, peering over his desk.

"Can she speak?" He drawled, seemingly bored with the proceedings.

Kōsen urged her forward with a sharp chirp to mind her manners, stepping away from her.

She stood before the men now, and found them much more frightening here, on her own, then when she had the shield of her Master's body.

After all, there was some comfort in knowing he was a strong, dangerous, potential ally.

She struggled to stop her knees from quaking, and rubbed her sweaty hands down the sides of her pants.

The spotted man leaned over his desk further to look down at her.

Her neck ached with how she had to crane it upward, but figured that was part of the deal.

She didn't know what to say, what to do. No one said anything.

She twisted, looking back at Kōsen, wanting to both run to him, and from him. But she knew there would be no one waiting to rescue her, and she was under contract. No doubt these men would surrender her back over to him.

He was not looking at her, just staring at the Council.

She heard a chuckle, whipping around to face the man that laughed.

" _This_ is the reason for breaking into the Naga's domain? This little... _creature_... hardly worth her weight in gold, I'm sure." The rest of the council returned their attentions to their papers, and the spotted man leaned back, crossing his arms.

"You may leave Kōsen, take your pet with you." The man sighed, stamping his own set of papers, and setting them aside.

She could hardly contain her fury.

She wanted answers, and by the gods, someone would give them to her.

"That's it?!" She shrieked. She stamped her foot in childish indignation. "What about the Naga!? Who is to be held accountable!?" Her voice reached octaves she was sure she'd never heard from herself.

Kōsen had her by the wrist in no time at all.

"Hold your tongue Suzume!" He chirped. She shocked him by wrenching her arm free, pointing her finger accusingly at the Council.

"No! We came all this way, waited all this time, just for them to tell us to leave!" She wanted to continue with her tirade, wanted to pitch a fit, but her mouth clenched closed against her will, and her knees buckled.

She should have known she would have been shut down like that.

She glanced at Kōsen, ready to see his displeasure burning across his face as he controlled her.

What she didn't expect was to see him lower than her, struggling to brace his hands on the marble floor. His forehead nearly touched said floor, his body convulsed as he fought against the spell.

She was shocked, and terrified.

She had never seen him in such a weakened position.

Looking to the council, she found that each of them had stood, and in some form or another, gripped a glowing object in their right hands.

"We will have absolute peace." They all spoke at once, their voices low and gravelly. Kōsen's flames threatened to explode, but they too were held in check.

Finally, he tired.

She watched in morbid fascination as his shoulders slumped and his forehead connected with the floor. His breathing was labored and his body still shook from the effort.

She wanted to lay a hand on him, to express her sorrow. She never thought she would see him so defeated.

She glared at the Council.

The spotted man spoke slowly.

"The Naga rescinded his complaint upon his arrival not seconds before you entered. Do not think yourself so important child that your demands be met when you shout." He hissed.

Her stomach rolled nervously, but she made sure she kept the anger on her face.

Another of the councilmen waved his hand.

She felt the great pressure release her.

"Go now, before we charge you for disrupting the courts." The second man intoned.

Suzume was quick to her feet, yanking on Kōsen's arm to pull him up.

Unexpectedly, he sprung up, dusting himself off.

Color returned to his face, warmth to his skin. The heat in his gaze could not be avoided as he glared down on her.

He took a few steps back towards the door they had entered, and she followed obediently.

Before they could exit, she felt compelled to have the last word.

She turned lightly on her heel, and watched as the men all looked up.

"Six against one is hardly in fairness, you cowards." She spat, bowing lightly, and skittering out the door before it closed on Kōsen's back.

* * *

The amount of bodies in the central terminal of the building was crushing. How so many spirits fit in one place, it was mind boggling. She sat impatiently on a bench waiting for Kōsen to return to her side.

He had answered the call of his name, with a request to follow some spirit somewhere. She could still see his blazing hair, his brightness causing a glow on those around him. People gave him space, bowed respectfully, and darted out of the way.

She watched the spirits around her.

Some milled about as if they did not know what they were doing there; others, the majority, chatted and strutted from point A to point B as if they had been doing it their whole lives.

It didn't make sense.

The Naga had _rescinded_ his complaint. Why? What had changed?

She scanned the crowds, curious to see if the man beast that had threatened her life was here.

She found no sight of him, but a crowd gathered half way down another hall caught her attention. It was so large, the group spilled out into the main terminal, but the interesting part was how _quiet_ they were being.

Sure, people were talking, but it was no louder than any other part of the gigantic room, yet it had three times as many spirits packed into a much smaller space.

Curiosity getting the better her, she stood on the bench, hoping to see above he heads.

No luck.

With a cursory look to make sure Kōsen was still visible, which he was, the man was quite hard to miss in a crowded room, she ducked around some people to get closer.

Having got as far as she was comfortable, she found the nearest bench to stand on.

It gave her a better, although not ideal view.

She covered her mouth to stop the instinctive gasp at seeing the Naga at the center of all the commotion. Just the mere image of him was able to spark the fear within her.

Her bite mark burned, throbbing in time with her heart.

He was talking with someone, she couldn't quite see. She stood on the arm rest of the bench, hoping that the six inches would give her a better sight of who ever the man was.

She knew instantly who it was.

Tall frame, long dark hair, pale skin.

She wanted to call out to him, but she couldn't be sure. She couldn't see his face, it could have been someone else.

Her heart jumped into her throat.

She felt her foot slip from the arm rest, and struggled to balance herself. She didn't want to get down now!

Maybe if she called out his name, if it was him, surely he would respond. And if it wasn't him, then what would it matter?

But it would matter, to Kōsen.

"What are you doing here?" She murmured to herself, trying to work some moisture back into her mouth.

She _wanted_ him to be here, but she had wanted answers before they met.

Kōsen's story still played over and over in her mind. She tried to work out any other way it could have actually happened, but her own knowledge was limited.

Could she trust Haku?

She literally didn't know him from the next stranger; hell, she couldn't even pick him out of a crowd!

Her insides told her that that wasn't true. She _knew_ him, she just didn't want to admit it.

"Turn around." She muttered, cursing her bad luck. "C'mon, turn around, dammit!"

She watched the Naga offer a slight bow to the man, who returned the gesture.

Why would he be talking with the Naga?

And in a flash, she was sure she saw it, a small bag of what could only be gold was passed from man to man beast thing.

What in the gods name was going on?!

"Suzume!" Kōsen's shout startled her, and she was not the only one.

Bright green feral eyes snapped to hers.

In her alarm, she felt her foot slip fully from the edge of the bench and she landed with a 'thud' on her side.

As quick as she could, she picked herself up, trying to ignore the dull thudding of her returning headache, casting a look about for Kōsen. He was descending on her rapidly from the left, stopping a few feet to hold his hand out.

"We **must** be going!" He shouted. She looked the other way, and sure enough, she spied Haku through the throngs of people.

He stood stock still, a hand braced firmly on a heavy looking sword attached to his hip. He was resplendent in cool colors. Grays and blues adorned his body, and she wasn't entirely sure if she was imagining him or not.

But his eyes, they were oh so fierce, and they were not looking at her.

Confused, she followed their path, realizing that she was not the only one who could see him, that he did in fact stand just a handful of feet away.

Kōsen was blazing, his lips peeled back in a silent snarl. His hair moved of it's own volition, his weapon drawn.

She flicked her gaze between the two, the calm and fiery.

Kōsen yanked her roughly towards him.

"We do not have time for **this**!" He exclaimed. "We must leave at once!" Her gaze returned to Haku to find on his face an unnerving look, one she was not accustomed seeing on him.

Fear.

What did he have to fear?

She didn't have much time to wonder as she was forced to shield her face against the flames devouring them.

In the quietest part of her, she rejoiced. She had _seen_ him, really truly seen him. And she wasn't the only one.

The elation quickly came crashing down around her ears once she realized she'd be facing Kōsen's wrath upon returning to the House.

But she had finally seen him!

* * *

Review! Maybe I'll be nice and upload the next one sooner than Friday, if I finish it before then though... I feel like I'm on an emotional roller-coaster.


	16. Chapter 16

So it occurred to me that there are readers in different time zones! Which gives me the excuse to post this early!

All works belong to, well, not me. Although the vast majority of this chapter is mine. Otherwise I'm just borrowing. Artwork is from Abby Diamond, love her bird works.

There is only maybe two more chapters in this arc, kudos to those who can identify the central theme.

Enjoy, thank you for reading and review! I'm so curious to read what you all think is going to happen.

I present the meat and potatoes.

(Edited 06/27)

* * *

Chapter Sixteen

As the flames swirled around her, she braced herself for the landing in Kōsen's office. She expected the dizziness and the spinning room.

What she didn't expect was to be shoved violently to the floor as more flames exploded above their heads.

She rolled onto her hands and knees, struggling to see Kōsen through the heavy smoke that filled the room.

She could barely make out his outline, but she was able to see his blade, glinting in the low light, locked with another weapon.

For a moment, she was concerned Haku had followed, her heart pounding at just the thought, but the attacker was short, wide and not a very good blades-men.

He was cut down without much effort.

Kōsen waved his hand, attempting to dispel the smoke with magic, but it was no use. Whatever had created the smoke was immune.

She was nearly trampled by a dozen more sets of feet.

They launched themselves at Kōsen, all narrowly avoiding her. She crawled to a wall, staying low as the ceiling above her burned hot.

The flames were real, and they were burning the roof up.

She trailed her hand along the wall, coming to a window.

She was able to easily open it, smoke billowing out.

The room cleared enough for her to see the next set of windows.

With choking coughs, she managed to get the second set open, hanging her head out for some clean air.

She was roughly yanked back into the room, and thrown to the floor.

The wind was knocked from her and she bit her lip hard.

The taste of blood filled her mouth.

With a muffled cry, she turned onto her back, throwing her hands up to shield her face. Hands grabbed at her hair, scratched her arms, and dug into her stomach.

She got her legs up between their bodies, trying to kick the person away, but they were so strong.

Unexpectedly, the body was pulled away with a scream. She heard the person's body hit a wall or the floor. She didn't hear them move again, but she couldn't hear much for the blood rushing in her ears.

She was levered up by the front of her clothes, and she fought desperately against the man. His arm didn't so much as strain as she was pulled a clear two feet off the ground.

She was brought within inches of a burning face and it took her a moment to recognize Kōsen.

If she had ever feared him before, she had known nothing.

Here stood a man who was literally burning up.

His skin was blackened, peeling, seeping. His hair was patchy at best, gone from most of his head. His eyes glowed so brightly, she thought she might be blinded.

The voice that came from his blackened mouth was terrible, a noise straight out of a nightmare.

"Go!"

Some how, she found herself on her feet, with a semi-clear path laid out before her leading to the doors.

She turned back, a mistake she could not anticipate.

The air around Kōsen exploded, blue flames engulfing his entire being. The aftershock blew her backwards off her feet, and on to the floor where she slid into a far wall.

It took her far longer than it should have to realize she was screaming.

Her arm was on fire!

Blue flames snapped and spat, feeding on her skin.

She tried patting it out, but the flames moved out of the way, sentient. She imaged she could see little eyes in glaring balefully at her.

She shied away further when weathered hands dropped a dusky sand over her arm.

The blue flames instantly died out with an angry hiss.

Looking for the face of her helper, she was stunned to see Tuskete kneeling by her side.

The old woman helped her to her feet.

"You must get downstairs." The woman rushed. Suzume wanted to find Kōsen, but Tuskete urged her on.

"There is nothing you can do to help him!"

Outside in the hall with the smoke nearly as thick, she stumbled into the wall.

She made it a few feet before realizing Tuskete hadn't followed.

She doubled back, and was met half way by the woman.

"Go! Go now! Before the stairwells are filled with fire!" Tuskete screeched at her. She could only shake her head, trying to pull the woman along.

Her arm burned so badly it nearly made her physically sick. But she couldn't focus on that right now, she needed to get out!

"We need to leave!" She cried, pulling harder on the woman's arm.

With surprising strength, Tuskete shook her off.

"You go, someone must be here to collect his ashes! If they are spread, he dies!" She screamed.

Suzume peered into Kōsen's office, not all that shocked to see the massive wings of the fiery bird. It was hunched low in the burning room, fending off attackers left and right.

"Suzume, you must get the rest of the workers out." Tuskete held her face close, breathed in her personal space.

Her spittle splashed against her scorched cheek, but quickly evaporated.

Suzume nodded absently, not sure if she could be of much help.

"You _know_ these halls, use that to your advantage!" The older woman gasped before shoving her away.

Her head spun.

How could this be happening?

 _What_ was happening?

She turned, intent on making her way to the lower floors.

"And for god's sake, child, keep your head low!"

She automatically ducked her head, taking off in a half crouch.

* * *

The stairwell was broiling, she watched in awe as the flames on the ceiling moved in mesmerizing circles.

The heat was nearly unbearable.

But she managed to take the stairs two at a time. The first floor she came to was silent and empty.

"Hello?!" She called, coughing. Her voice didn't sound like her own.

No one answered.

"If you can hear me, get out. The building is on fire." She yelled, hearing her not-voice echo around her.

Deciding that everyone must have already headed to the lower floors, she moved on.

The next three floors were empty as well.

The lower she got, the cooler it became.

Her gritty eyes burned nearly as much as her hurt arm did, and her breath wheezed in and out of her chest.

Her body hurt, she wasn't even sure what was damaged and what wasn't. Her body just sent out signal after signal of pain.

She tried to not look at her arm, it had blackened some, the skin charred, and bled freely.

Her feet were numb, and her back ached.

She stumbled down a few of the stairs, each time finding it harder to pick herself back up.

The first people she ran into were workers scurrying around the second floor.

There were a handful of girls from the laundry rooms, a few garden workers and one of the men who worked the bellows in the basement.

They stopped what they were doing when they noticed her.

Nobody said a thing.

She peered around them, looking at what they were hiding.

Linens filled to the brim with what looked to be furnishings. Candle stick holders, mirrors, odds and ends.

It dawned on her that they were stealing.

She wanted to rebuke them, to shame them.

But she had no energy, and she still needed to make it to the lower floors. She had the main floor left, and then the basement, and that didn't even take into account the surrounding buildings.

They all stood and stared at one another.

She shook her head, trying not to rub any more soot into her eyes.

She turned away, headed back for the stairwell.

At the last minute, she stopped and looked to them again.

They had returned to gathering their haul, but paused at her return.

"Because I have respected most of you, I will try to believe you helped our guests and fellow workers escape _first_ , before you gave into your thieving ways..."

They all traded a heavy look with one another.

She nodded, stepping back.

"I understand..." She murmured.

But she didn't.

Not really.

They had abandoned everyone but themselves.

The joke was on them, they were still under contract.

Even if they fled the House, Kōsen could track them down, and if he didn't have the time, or willingness, the affects of the contract would slowly eat away at them.

One of the laundry girls met her in the stair well, placing a hand lightly on her shoulder.

She almost felt some sort of gratification that this girl would assist her, but that was soon shown to be wishful thinking.

The girl merely told her to be careful on the lower floors, and disappeared around the corner again.

A heavy 'crash' followed by a deafening screeching well above her head reminded her of the danger at present, the impending collapse of the roof, the spreading fire, and the fire bird that outsized them all.

* * *

She made quick work of the last set of steps, bursting out into a side hall on the main floor.

Her instincts, and training, took over at the last second, sending her diving away from a blade swinging at her head.

It embedded in the wall, and the attacker struggled to yank it free.

She watched in fascinated horror as the young serving girl left it where it stuck, turning on her instead.

"Minami, what are you doing?" She hissed, dodging out of the girl's reach.

Her back thumped into someone else and she rolled into a wall as the man swung an ax over her head.

She screamed as it made contact with the girl who was intent on attacking her.

It lodged in the young girl's chest and she fell to the floor faster than a sack of rocks. Blood pooled quickly around, forming little ponds about her toes. She stared at the man as he looked Minami over, shrugged, then yanked his weapon free.

It left the body with a sickening squelch, casting an arc of blood on the wall.

He grinned maliciously at her as she sat crumpled on the floor next to the dead worker.

She clenched her eyes closed as he moved in on her, but the hours she'd spent training with Kate kicked in, and with a gasp, she scrambled just out of his reach. She stood, not sure where to run to, or how to defend herself.

There was the blade still jammed in the wall, but she had never been a heavy weapon kind of fighter. Kate had taught her some close combat to get her out of a sticky situation, but had mostly relied on lighter weaponry like bows or some short blades.

She slipped on the blood coating the floor, her time was running out.

The man was approaching again, and she had no means to defend against an ax!

She managed to pry the blade from the wall, and hold it before herself but it was heavy and she didn't have the strength to hold it upright.

How Minami had even been able to swing it once, was beyond her, the girl had been half her size!

This would be the end of her, here, in this stuffy hallway, covered in someone else's blood with a weapon in her hands she was unable to wield.

With a stuttered breath, she looked up just in time to see the man's eyes roll into the back of his head.

He dropped on to the mangled body of Minami, convulsing. The ax sunk heavily into the wooden floor.

Dumbstruck, she whipped her head around.

A tall man, with deep gashes in his face, appeared in her line of vision. His arm was held out in front of him, his fist clenched tight.

His clothes were soaked in sweat and blood.

"Mistress Suzume!" He hollered. "I can not hold him long. Please get out!" She knew his face, but could not recall a name.

He was a magic user, one who was actually employed for that reason.

And he had just saved her life.

She didn't need to be told twice.

She sprung away from the two on the floor, taking steps toward the magic user. He shook his head strongly.

"Not this way, there is nothing but fighting! The walls are painted in red!" He yelled at her.

She urged him to stay with her, to follow her.

Again, he shook his head, his teeth gritting as he fought to control the ax man.

He could not move, his feet planted firmly.

Her mind swirled.

This was all too much to take in!

With unsure steps, she retreated, stepping carefully over the convulsing man. She was scared he might spring up at any second.

Without looking back, she ducked into a side room.

She prayed to the gods that the magic user, and anyone else who fought for their lives, or for the House, made it out alive.

She was not foolish, or naive, enough to believe her pray would be heard.

* * *

The room she ducked into was devoid of life. The tables and chairs were turned on their ends, the rugs skewed and the shoji screens broken.

What had become of her home?

What was happening?

She peered into the next room before she entered, having learnt her lesson of wildly running into rooms.

A small figure stood in the center, clutching something in her hand.

Suzume instantly thought back to that night when she stood before the entrance; the figure who had not responded to her, that had given her such an ominous feeling.

Carefully, on quiet feet, she entered.

There was no going backward.

Maybe if she could get to the gardens, she could hide.

She had only a few rooms left to cross, the stairwell had put her far back in the House.

It was a much further distance to the front entrance, she didn't think she'd make it there if she tried.

Maybe this girl was just scared, having finally found a quiet room.

 _She_ was scared after all.

She proceeded with caution.

"Hello..?" She whispered, hoping to catch the girl's attention, and no one else's.

The girl immediately turned, her dark eyes flashing in the low light of the room.

"Kimi..." Suzume sighed, recognizing the worker. The girl sniffled, hiding her hands behind her back, retreating.

There were tears balancing on her small eyelashes, her kimono was torn and dirty.

Suzume held her hands out, reaching out for the frightened girl.

"It's alright, don't be afraid. I'm here to help..." She murmured, moving forward quickly. "We must leave, it is not safe here." She whispered, peeking through the next door way. "We can hide in the gardens until this all settles down."

She felt the girl grab on to the back of her tunic, heard her sniffle again.

Suzume tried to ignore the throbbing of her arm, of her head, and her feet.

This girl, and many others, were just as terrified if not more. She needed to be strong for them. She was the elder here, she needed to guide them.

She felt Kimi tug on her clothes, and she reached back to pat her reassuringly.

"You're right, it's _not_ safe here."

* * *

Ta-da! Thank you for the reviews thus far, and the story is almost at 2k views, which is exciting,(and 50 reviews, more exciting). Next update on Wednesday... probably. I have a habit of posting sooner than I anticipate.


	17. Chapter 17

Many, many thanks for all the reviews.

Enjoy the aftermath, one more chapter (after this) to this arc.

I'm excited to see where this is going. I, obviously, have the beginning of this story written, and I have the ending written (although I'm sure that it is bound to change by the time I get to it). The middle part is all a mystery to me.

Thanks for reading!

* * *

Chapter Seventeen

She stopped, hearing something in the undertone of the girl's words. Turning swiftly on her heel, she was alarmed to see a petite shadow pressed against the far wall.

She had to have walked right past it!

How stupid could she be!?

The shadow moved, broke apart, then reformed.

Squinting her gritty eyes, and stepping in front of Kimi, she faced their attacker head on.

"Whoever you are, you'd best leave us be!" She hissed as confidently as she could. The shadow laughed, tinkling bells echoing in her head.

She didn't understand, the voice was in her head. She gripped Kimi's shoulder tighter.

Her brain struggled to make sense of itself, already having the answer, but fogged from exhaustion and smoke.

"Lady Sa-me.." She hissed. The woman bowed her head lightly, her free hand resting on the top of one of her maid's heads.

" _Hello child."_ The soft voice ran circles around her. She pinched her arm to keep herself focused.

"Are you behind all of this?" She growled. Surely there was no other being who could arrange such a riot in so short a time, and who knew Kōsen would be off property.

The woman's laughter echoed in her head again.

" _Hardly. I've said it before, I will say it once more. I have no interest in making an enemy of Kōsen. I am **not** your enemy Suzume."_ She imagined she saw a fan flutter in the darkness. Before she could say anything, the woman continued. _"I have lost more than half of my own girls in this mess."_ The voice seethed.

Suzume wanted to call her a liar, but sure enough, she only counted four eerily similar dark heads bobbing around Lady Sa-me's hands.

Her anger ebbed away from her, leaving her exhausted once more.

"Then who?" She sighed angrily. The bobbing heads moved closer to Lady Sa-me's body, and Suzume watched as she affectionately patted each one.

" _Ask your girl there."_ Came the sharp reply with the sharp 'flap' of a closing fan.

That answer stunned her into silence. She slowly to turned to face Kimi, not sure what she should expect.

She was only half surprised to see the girl glaring hatefully at her.

The tears were gone, the lost look upon her face replaced with malice.

She hadn't even said a word when Kimi spoke, raising a rather large sharp looking needle.

The matte looking thing was nearly as long as her forearm.

"There needn't be any pets for Master to oblige in _this_ house." The girl spat, lunging at Suzume.

She managed to grasp her attacker's wrist and force it away, knocking the small girl to the ground.

They danced like this for more minutes than she could say, Suzume ducking and dodging; Kimi lurching and swinging wildly.

Exhaustion clouded her mind and made her body slow. She felt as if the smoke from the fire had filled every empty space within, weighing her down.

Suzume fell to her back end and gave a scream when Kimi's nails dug into her burned flesh.

On reflex, she grabbed a hold of the girl's hair and slammed her into the nearest wall. The girl did not get back up.

With a sob, Suzume leaned over the prone form, checking for breathing.

Her attacker's chest still moved up and down in what could pass for normal breaths.

She crawled away to a far wall, her wide eyes finding Lady Sa-me still standing where she had been, her maids still now, all eyeing her.

She scrubbed her hands across her face and tried to take deep breaths in.

Her body couldn't handle any more!

Her _brain_ couldn't handle any more!

"Why didn't you do something!?" She shrieked, still trying to gain control over her thrumming body.

" _She was not attacking me, or mine."_ Came the simple reply. Suzume rolled her eyes, trying to calm her gasps for air.

"You said you were an ally!" She spat harshly, not caring if the woman was offended. She listened to Lady Sa-me 'tut' at her, walking slowly to another wall so that they were opposite one another.

" _I **never** said I was an ally."_ The woman held tightly to the few girls that crowded her.

She made a noise at the back of her throat, wanting to strike the woman, but not having the energy or courage.

"Then who are you!?" She snapped, not really expecting an answer.

She drew her knees up, wrapping her arms around them best she could, and tucked her head down.

"This is just a dream..." She whimpered, closing her eyes. "Go away, go away. Disappear." She felt a cool hand lay gently against her shoulder and arm.

With a gasp, she looked up, and for a moment, for just a split second, she saw emerald green eyes in the face of a young boy.

"Haku.." She wheezed.

The person shook their head sadly, blonde hair falling into deep blue green eyes.

"No Suzume, it's me."

The next best thing.

"Kate!" She cried, throwing herself into the girl's arms. Kate held her, brushing her hair away from her face, murmuring quiet nothings into her ear.

"Suzume, we must go." She helped Suzume to her feet.

There was a little blue ball of light that danced around Kate's head, as if trying to get her attention. It illuminated enough for Suzume to see the heavy burns to Kate's neck and chest, like someone had tried to strangle her with fire. She shuddered at the wound.

The blue ball of light shot to Lady Sa-me's face, buzzing around her like an angry insect.

The image of the woman and her maids was far more gruesome than Suzume could have imagined, especially cast in half shadow. She clenched her eyes closed, wishing she had never seen them in the light, hoping her stomach stayed in place.

Lady Sa-me's ornate kimono was heavily stained down the front in dark blood, it dripped from behind her fan onto the floor in large wet drops. Each maid was just as disheveled, a perfect ring of blood surrounding their mouths. Their black eyes were huge in their faces, and their pale skin made the sticky red stand out that much more.

She could only imagine where or from who the blood came from.

They were straight out of the darkest fears, hunters in complete darkness.

The woman said nothing as Kate urged her to the far door.

"We can't leave her..." Suzume whispered, looking briefly over her shoulder and wishing she hadn't. Kate held her tight as they stepped into the next room.

"We can, and we will. She needs no protection." Kate growled, keeping them low and to the wall.

Suzume realized Kate held a blade, one she had never seen before. It was thin, and deadly sharp, and smeared with blood.

"I thought you were on the upper floors, you moved faster than I could anticipate." Kate responded to her questioning look about the blade. Suzume kept herself glued to the older girl's back. She wondered if Kate had run into the thieves, she would have had little patience for them.

She shook her head, not wanting to think about Kate killing them.

"What happened here? And why are _you_ here?" She had so many questions. Her whole head was just filled with nothing but questions!

"I've been keeping an eye on the place, on you. I didn't expect _this_ to happen..." She trailed off, pressing their bodies tightly to the wall.

A figure paused by the next doorway, peering into the room, but moved on. He didn't even seem to care about the blue light that danced around their heads.

"What is _this_?" She begged, needing to know what was happening. Kate glanced at her from the corner of her eye, staying silent as they moved onward.

"Kate..." Suzume begged. The girl huffed, never stopping their forward motion.

"There was a rebellion. Tuskete, that old woman, she couldn't keep it under control. I guess some of the workers were fed up with their jobs, or the fact that they weren't being paid. Whatever the reasons, they took to arms, and set Kōsen's offices a flame. And now we're here..." She trailed off again.

Suzume was silent as she thought all of this over.

The tension of the past few weeks made sense now. The dirty looks and petty attacks from the workers. They were unhappy, and must have been planning this right under her nose.

Of course they would know when Kōsen was away. She doubted they'd dare attempt this with him home.

Maybe the whole council thing with the Naga had been planned!

She remembered the exchange of money between Haku and the Naga.

Had he been behind this?

Had he been responsible for this great upheaval?

She found it hard to breathe.

The lives lost!

Kōsen and Tuskete, and Emi, oh Emi! Their fates unknown!

She felt a burning disgust form in her belly, and she struggled to continue onward.

She should return to Kōsen, see if she could help in some way!

Kate's tight grip kept her from doing much of anything.

Kōsen had been telling the truth, he had been trying to protect her this entire time!

And she had, at every turn, tried to defy him!

She deserved to die here with the spirits she worked with.

She deserved nothing more than to be run through and left to bleed.

Her despair nearly drowned her.

She had wanted to believe in Haku so badly that she had been blind to the truth that had been right in front of her face.

And now her friends, and her family, they paid for it with their lives.

She felt the hot tears slip down her scalded face.

It actually felt nice to have some of the grit rinsed from her eyes.

Kate glanced at her, giving her a pitiful look, but never stopped.

They passed the outer doors for the gardens, and she managed to pull Kate to a stop.

"This way..." She said around her tears. Kate shook her head sadly, but opened the doors anyway, just enough to see.

The gardens, they burned as well. The whole grounds were aflame. Trees stood like beacons, their leaves fodder for even the weakest of embers.

She watched in dismay as one particularly large bough came down, crashing onto the building nearest it.

There was nothing that could be done.

* * *

She wouldn't have been able to make it to the front entrance herself, not alone. They had run into a handful of attackers who were quickly dispatched by Kate's hand. Each time a body fell, Suzume felt herself die a bit more inside.

They had run into only a few who were merely trying to escape, and a few noble magic users and one burly garden worker who were trying to fight back.

No one was trained for this, no one knew how to properly defend themselves except for those magic users.

They had refused their offer to flee.

They would stay to defend those who could not, or die trying.

* * *

She and Kate breezed through the front entrance, the doors broken on their slides, the glass scattered across the stone steps.

It looked as if the worst had happened at the entrance, despite one of the magic users saying otherwise.

The initial fight started in the kitchens, just before dinner service. The magic user had covered his face as he described the amount of bodies that littered the floor.

They were unsuspecting, caught off guard.

It was the dinning rooms that were next, where guest and worker alike were cut down.

It was a massacre.

It seemed that some of the rebellious wanted to have their contracts re-written, or to talk over wages. The majority of them just wanted revenge for this or that petty argument. Those were the ones who still prowled about, looking for the next innocent.

Madness among madmen.

She hesitated as they reached the property line.

She turned to stare up at the House.

The upper floors still burned with no one to attempt at extinguishing them. Flames licked out the balconies of the fourth floor; the highest floor, the seventh, Kōsen's office, was lost in a black smog.

She cried as she looked on.

This had been her home for the past nine years, and she had turned her back on it.

Kate gripped her shoulders tightly.

"You need to leave, Suzume, do you hear me?" She didn't really. She felt light headed, nauseous and wanted to hide in a dark room for the rest of her life.

She struggled to meet Kate's eye.

"They will kill you if they find you." Kate was pressing something into her hands, a small fold of paper.

"Take these, they are yours. Get on the next train, get far away," Kate seemed to think something over, making a sudden decision. "Get off on the 36st stop from this station. It will take a few hours before you get there, but you mustn't fall sleep. Don't miss the stop!" She stared dumbly at the little piece of paper.

Train tickets.

She frowned, looking at Kate.

"Where did you get these?" The ink had been smeared by water, and they were stiff, as if they had been soaked.

Kate shook her lightly, trying to snap her to attention.

"Emi found them, in your clothes, after the Naga attack." She replied exasperated.

The Naga attack.

Haku had been there, or at least, his magic had been. He had guided her to the platform, and moved the water currents to help her swim.

He had always helped her, he couldn't be bad, could he?

She shook her head, banging on her forehead.

She needed to pay attention!

"Don't forget, the 36th stop." Kate reminded her.

Kate had started to leave, headed back to the House.

"Wait! Where are you going!?" She cried. She didn't want Kate to leave her, she was the only person who seemed to know what to do!

Kate shook her hands off.

"I'm going to find Emi. Get to the station, we will meet you there." The look Kate gave her told her that they wouldn't actually meet her.

But she nodded, chewing her lip and wincing when the split opened again.

She gripped the tickets tightly in her fist.

She watched Kate disappear back into the House fearlessly, intent on finding their friend.

With a deep breath, and then a second, and third, she looked herself over.

Her arm was in a bad way, her skin felt stretched too tight over her bones, her knees were scraped, and her lip was split. A few minor scratches and bruises here and there, lungs that begged for more fresh air and a killer headache.

Overall, she had escaped better than most, who hadn't even gotten out with their lives.

Nothing life threatening, she hoped; her arm was not something she could look at currently for fear of being physically sick.

She took her hair tie out, pulling the disarrayed mess back into some semblance of a pony tail, tried to dust some of the soot from her clothes, which only smeared it more, and took a few more deep breathes.

She found she was still wearing the small sack around her waist, and she stuffed the train tickets into it. Her feet were bare, but that was something she'd have to tackle later.

She darted down the street, slipping through the bodies crowded around, watching the spectacle, the burning of the Ni~Tsu no nokori teishi.

Not a single one made to help.

It wasn't their problem.

She grimaced as she shouldered her way through, stumbling out onto a main path. She had the way to the station memorized, and it wasn't long until she found herself sitting quietly by herself.

* * *

She counted the seconds, waiting to see if Kate and Emi would show.

She knew they wouldn't.

She _prayed_ they would.

Her body was jumpy, running on adrenaline, ready to leap away from an attacker at a moment's hesitation.

Where was she going to go?

She did not have enough coin to get her far, and her contract would have her crawling back to the House, if she could even afford to do so. If she was left stranded, it would drive her mad until it took her life.

She could go to the city the Council was in, appeal to them to provide shelter until Kōsen could come for her.

But she didn't know the name of the city, and she didn't know if she wanted to return to Kōsen. Or if she even could.

"He could be dead for all I know." She whispered. No overwhelming feelings of despair assaulted her. Her body was done, it had no more energy for hysterics.

Her friends were most likely killed, her co-workers slaughtered, her Master probably dead.

And it may have all been her fault.

If Haku was behind this, she had let him in, had given him a chance to further destroy Kōsen.

She shuddered, holding herself for what little comfort she could supply.

The train pulled into the station, the doors opening quietly.

She stared at the conductor as he waited patiently.

She just sat there. She had no where to go.

She had no one to run to.

She couldn't remember where Kate had told her to go, all she could see was the burning of the House behind Kate's sooty face. She couldn't even recall Kate talking, couldn't remember a single word that was said.

She stared at the entrance to the station, willing Kate to appear, dragging Emi behind her. They would know what to do.

But they didn't appear, and the conductor was getting ready to leave.

She stood, walking slowly up to him.

She was thankful he could say nothing about the state of her clothes or body.

She fished out the tickets from her sack, handing them over.

"I'd like to see the Naga, please." Her voice sounded weak and grainy to her own ears. The man spirit, more just a shadow than anything, didn't question her, just shredded one of the tickets and handed her the last one back.

He stepped aside, and she entered, finding the train empty.

She settled herself down, and hide her face in her knees.

The tears came quickly and quietly.

She wept for those who's lives had been lost, and the life she had known.

* * *

Review please, it gets me through my work weeks. Haha.


	18. Chapter 18

I wrote a full note up here, but then FF kept logging me out when I tried to save this in doc manager. So yeah I'll cut to the chase.

In thanks for making over 50 reviews and well over 2k views before the end of the month, I will update three times next week. Look for the alerts Sunday, Wednesday, and Friday. (If you haven't put the story to your alerts, you should do so now).

Sorry to those who are irritated this is not a typical 'Chihiro goes back to Spirit World/Finds Haku/Angst inbetween/Happily ever after'. There are enough of those, I suggest the author Velf, as a personal favorite, though I'm sure there aren't many of us who haven't read her stories two dozen times. No, just me?

Disclaimer: I'm only borrowing the works, they belong to Miyizaki and Ghibli. Artwork is the fantastic Abby Diamond's.

Off to the next.

Enjoy!

* * *

Chapter 18

The station was just as she had last seen it.

She stood in the open door, staring at the platform, willing herself to get off. Everything in her screamed to go back inside, to tell the conductor that stood just behind her, she was wrong. This was _not_ her stop.

But she stepped out, marveling at the cool stone against her bare feet. She'd barely gotten herself fully out of the train when the door slid closed behind her.

She felt a chill race down her spine.

She fought to keep from watching the train pass, felt the wind as it passed her back.

Swallowing hard, she took a further step forward, her arms hanging limp at her sides.

The air was cool and crisp, the night sky was bright, stars blazing. Her skin felt like it was itchy and tight, the cool air causing the few hair she had left on her arms to prickle.

Her legs felt like lead, her lungs too, and she struggled to think around her aching head. She took a tentative step, closing her eyes briefly.

She feared she would fall asleep on the train, after the adrenaline wore away, and miss her stop. She was wishing she _had_ now.

It took her a long minute to reach the edge of the platform, staring at the tall grass stalks. From the far edge, it was impossible to see the far reach waters that separated them.

Her dirty toes gripped the edge. She had felt a tingle in her stomach, one that made her feel sick, and like she was being stretched too thin. Something within her felt like it was going to snap.

She pressed her hands into her pants, gripping the material in tight fists.

She should have been shocked when a great beast rose from the water. Should have tried to hide, to run away, to do anything but stand there.

But stood there she did, staring dumbly at the massive snake like creature. It curled itself out of the water, raising twenty feet in the air; it's black scales glinted like starlight, and she had to make sure she wasn't imaging it.

She _could_ have been imagining it after all, but she didn't think so.

The only thing marking it as real was the blemish that ran from the tip of it's serpentine body to somewhere below the water.

A scar.

It was clean cut, no jagged edges, and white, looking like a rift in the perfect night sky.

The creature's head hung low, nearly level with her, taking her still form in. It bared its sizable teeth, it's eyes pinpointed on her.

But she couldn't react.

She had nothing left, maybe this is why she was here. She knew this beast would kill her, would take no time to play silly games. It would make it quick, simple, and she'd be dead.

It didn't move to make the killing strike.

It hung there, waiting for her to respond.

She felt the cold water wash over her feet as it flooded the small platform.

That's what shocked her the most.

It felt... _amazing_... she had no other word for it. She wanted to dive head long into the water, not caring that she'd be unable to swim.

She just wanted it to take away all of her pain, all of her sorrow.

She closed her eyes, trying to take in steady breaths.

" _A second time is not by chance."_ She listened to the whispered hiss in her head. Water dripped off the creature, landing in the ocean in huge droplets.

" _Are you here to collect your pet?"_ It hissed. Her eyes blinked open, sore from grittiness. The snake creature was hovering over her. She stared into it's face, not sure where else to look.

She couldn't tell if she showed interest on her face; she couldn't feel anything within herself except pain and that infernal stretching.

Like a yawning ache.

" _Your demon has been trapped here, causes me nothing but trouble."_ It replied to her silence. It almost seemed kind, as kind as a large black snake could be, she supposed.

Maybe it saw the strife she was in.

"Will you kill me?" It reared back at her quiet words, clearly having no issue hearing her. It's head rolled to one side, as if it could get a better look.

" _One has paid quite a sum to keep you alive, will you throw it all to the wind?"_ It asked, sinking a bit lower in the water.

Haku, in the terminal, handing off a pouch of money to the Naga. He had paid the Naga off.

 **The Naga rescinded his complaint upon his arrival not seconds before you entered.**

The words of the Councilmen echoed in her head.

A man she hardly knew had paid so that she would not be enslaved by this beast.

"How much gold?" She croaked. Her insides were all kinds of messed up. Her heart picked up speed, and by the gods, she suddenly needed to pee.

She heard laughter as the creature threw it's head back.

" _I don't have much use for gold."_ It chortled. It returned it's stare to her, it's mouth stretching wide. _"But favors, especially from one such as him, even **one** of those is worth ten times your life. He offered three."_

Now she definitely felt ill.

Favors.

Haku would have to do the bidding of this creature, regardless of what it was.

That was dangerous, it would likely end him in hot water or worse.

She shuddered.

The creature laughed again.

" _You understand the value, I see, but did not know the offer. How...quaint...He did not tell you of this deal. What will you do small one? Will you thank him? There isn't much you can give him, your body perhaps? Even great spirits are tempted by a pretty face now and then. We live such long lives, I don't blame him if he finds your...looks... attractive."_ The creature leaned closer, appraising her, it's strong jaws too close for comfort.

" _Does he know you're here? I assume not. I should hold you, earn myself a better barter."_ It leaned back, moving fluidly through the water, almost as if pacing.

She stepped away from the edge of the platform, feeling her toes drag against the rough stone.

"You... you can't hurt me." She struggled to raise her voice, to sound as commanding as possible.

"I am under the protection of Master Eien no taiyō no kōsen." She ground out, taking another step back.

It's sharp eyes darted to her, it's head cocked once more. It smiled a snakey smile, rows of sharp teeth appearing.

" _Are you now?"_ It seethed, seeming to enjoy itself. How she ever thought it kind, she would never know. Chalk it up to delusion caused by all the stress.

" _Tell me, oh one smelling of war, this contract you signed, was it on paper?"_ The creature alluded to something, but her foggy brain was having trouble connecting the dots. It tossed it's head back, it's body writhing about for a moment.

She realized it was laughing again.

" _Funny thing about fire, it nearly always turns on it's user!"_ It howled. She took two quick steps back. She didn't know where she was going to go, but she had to move.

" _I wonder how long you will last? This might be more entertainment than I anticipated."_ She didn't have time to respond as a coil of the creature appeared from behind and knocked her sideways into the water.

She screamed, tumbling head over heels, splashing wildly about.

Her arm _ignited_ , literally. She watched as little blue flames rocketed further up her arm as she fell into the water.

Once fully submerged, she watched as the little flames swirled about, obviously trying to reach the surface. All but one puttered out.

The one broke free, shooting upward.

She watched in awe as she broke the surface, nearly taking in water as the Naga snapped his smooth jaws around it.

She struggled to stay afloat.

Her body begged her to surrender.

But she kept her legs kicking, and her good arm swinging, and managed to keep her face mostly free.

She didn't realize how large this creature was, not until she lay submerged in the same body of water it did.

She could see it's curling body under the small waves. It was a hulking mass of black that went on forever.

She wanted to scream at it, ask it what it wanted, to let her go.

She blinked and the creature was gone. In it's place stood the dark man, standing on the water, peering down at her with a sadistic grin.

"You will not be long for this plane. I will make you a deal, for I long to see you struggle; if you can find your demon, I will grant you safe passage out of my home." It took casual steps toward her, not caring that it was standing on a non-solid surface.

"But you must do this before sun rise if you don't, I will eat you." It displayed all of it's sharp teeth again, as if to drive the point home.

In another blink, it was gone, entirely.

Sun up?

When was sun up?

She glanced to the sky?

When had sun down been?

How _long_ had the sun been down?

She couldn't say, everything had been a blur these past hours.

What she couldn't do was stay in this half floating, half drowning space. She glanced to the tall grass stalks.

She had done this once, why not again?

She had to find the No-Face.

That couldn't be too hard, right?

* * *

The Naga must have known she would have never made it to land on her own, because the distance to solid ground was only a few awkward kicks away. Far closer than she remembered, for sure.

She lay on the uncomfortable stalks, half submerged still, holding her arm to her chest, trying to catch her breath.

Even that little amount of work had winded her tired lungs.

What had the creature been saying to her? Something about paper and fire?

The yawning ache in her was so strong, she feared something within her was broken.

Shaking her head, she rolled to her knees, and stood slowly.

She needed to find the No-Face.

* * *

She trudged slowly through the tall stalks, not really seeing where she was going. It was _hot_ , muggy air pressing in all around her.

She was so tired, she couldn't remember when she had last slept. Her mouth was dry, air whistled past her lips, and drove a burning ache through her chest. She needed sleep, and medicine. Her left arm was all but useless.

With a sigh, she found a dry piece of ground that was large enough to sit herself down on. Crossing her legs, she rummaged through her little pack, neatly placing everything she pulled out in the circle of her legs.

She carefully unfolded the remaining ticket, balancing it on her leg, hoping it would dry out. The paper would not take well that it had been soaked for a second time.

Next came the small bag of gold coins which she counted twice, just to make sure, followed by two small vials.

One was circular, and cool, made of dark colored glass.

It was the ointment Kōsen had given her before they went to see the Council. He had said it was for her burn, which seemed so far paled in comparison to what her arm looked like at the moment.

With difficulty, she opened it, wrinkling her nose at the smell. She dipped her finger into it, lightly touching her forearm where the skin seemed the least damaged.

Even that caused a great deal of pain, she couldn't imagine rubbing any thing into the severely burnt parts. She'd more likely chop her own arm off!

Capping it, she tucked it back in the small pack. The second vial, it was thin and long, clear with a viscous liquid inside.

It was only filled a quarter of the way.

It was what was left of the pain reliever that she had used for her broken collarbone the first time she had 'visited' the Naga.

She took the little stopper out, letting a drop escape the vial onto the worse part of her burn. Maybe it would ease the pain even a little.

That too went back into the little sack, with the rest of the odds and ends.

Finally, she curled onto her side, cradling her head in her good arm, tucking her knees up close to her body, and closed her eyes.

She needed some sleep.

* * *

Mostly filler, so sorry but it must be. Can't have action all the time unfortunately. Review, please and thank you!


	19. Chapter 19

One of three - I feel like this is going to be harder for me than I first thought.

A big thank you to Trastuspies for always catching some errors to be corrected. I appreciate it!

Enjoy and review!

* * *

Chapter 19

The ground stirred with every aching breath she exhaled. She stared as the dirt little pieces swirled around, getting stuck in her eyelashes.

Her body, it didn't feel like her own. It felt heavy, awkward, and unresponsive.

Her muscles were stiff, her joints felt locked into place, and she wasn't sure if she'd ever be able to move again.

Closing her eyes again, she tried to go back to sleep.

"What am I doing here...?" She sighed. Her mouth felt caked in blood; her lip must have started bleeding while she slept.

"Haku..." She murmured, trying to lick some of the blood free. "Haku... what do I do now?"

 _She felt the world around her shift, felt smooth stone under her foot, felt her body move upright. But she was too weak to stay standing, and she crumbled to the floor, earning a sharp pain in her back end. Her eyes flashed open though, as her heart sped up._

 _She was not anywhere she had been before, but that chair, pressed against the far wall, it was familiar. She had sat in it once, her knees pulled up to her chest, thinking on something great. She couldn't recall what is was she had been thinking about, or where this place was._

 _It was warm, and sweet smelling, with herbs hanging from the low rafters and a massive wooden table taking up center space._

 _She felt eyes on her, steady and curious._

 _Blinking slowly, she found the eyes of the person, a large woman sitting calmly by a roaring fire._

 _She was in a frilly blue dress and had a massive wart front and center on her face._

 _Suzume sat up, leaning on to her knees._

" _Yu..ba...ba.." She croaked, her throat feeling tight and scratchy. The woman floated up and out of the chair, giving her a frown._

" _No, Zeniba. You did say she had forgotten most everything, she could have at least remembered my name..." The woman, Zeniba, looked to her left as she spoke. Suzume followed her gaze and found Haku standing by a window._

 _He turned swiftly, ignoring the witch, dropping to one knee by her side._

" _What has happened to you?" He didn't touch her, his hands hovering just over her shoulder and bad arm._

 _She looked herself over, realizing she was most certainly worse for wear. Her clothes were torn and dirty, she was covered in lumps and bruises, scrapes and burns, and she was sure she did not smell all that great._

" _There was a fire..." She leaned closer to him, wanting to grab on to his arms, to scream at him for not being there; apologize for thinking he would have caused the attack, for blaming him in fear because she **did not know him**. _

_How could she trust what she did not know?_

 _But he didn't give her a chance to speak._

" _Stay where you are, I'm coming to get you." He replied calmly, holding a hand out towards her. She reached for it tentatively, expecting her hand to pass through his. But her fingers slid against his smooth palm and his long fingers closed around her wrist._

 _Then, she recalled where she was._

 _Her breath caught in her throat, and her whole body tightened up in fear._

" _The Naga! I'm, I went to, I had no place to go!" She cried, staring up into his pale face. His eyes hardened slightly, and his grip on her tightened._

" _Why in the world would you go **there**?" He moaned, holding his other hand to his head briefly. "I can not enter his domain, Chi-" His jaw locked closed and his eyes clenched shut in what appeared to be pain. _

_She felt as if the stretching within nearly reached it's max, but at the last moment, the tension eased and she could breathe again._

 _With a heavy exhale, she nearly collapsed into him._

 _What if she dirtied his clean clothes?_

" _Tell her Haku, you're only prolonging the suffering, both yours, and hers." The witch commented from the side._

 _Suzume had forgotten she was there at all._

 _Haku shook his head once, his jaw still tense._

" _No. Not until she is **safe**." A trill went down her spine at the unspoken words: with me. _

_She pulled her hand away, rearranged her non-compliant body to sit upright more, and turned her head away._

 _She shouldn't feel so much satisfaction from his words._

 _She did not mean anything to this man, she was a stranger who liked to drop in on his life. He was kind enough, and apparently powerful enough, to aid her when she needed it._

 _Like a faerie god mother from the old tales._

 _That was an amusing image._

 _Her shoulders slumped._

" _Can't you just tell me what my name is, I'm going to die in a few hours anyway-"_

 _She had to stifle a cry as she was gripped tightly by the shoulders, causing her bad arm to be jostled._

" _You are not going to die!" He barked at her, yanking her to her feet._

 _Her body did not like that, and every muscle protested the move._

 _She found herself half leaning over the wooden table, gripping it for dear life as he paced angrily in the small room._

 _Zeniba had seated herself again and was holding a cup of tea._

" _The Naga, at sunrise, if I can not find the No-Face, he will eat me." She was able to stutter out, not sure how to explain herself._

 _Zeniba's eyes slowly slid to hers, but the old woman said nothing. Haku slammed a closed fist against a wall, leaving broken stone to litter the floor._

 _He turned on her quick, grabbing her arm once more, pressing a small green cloth bag, no bigger than three inches in either direction, into her hand._

" _You give this to him, you **convince** him to take it, and then you run." The bag was feather light, she couldn't imagine what was in it. Looking down, his longer fingers covered it, flexing against her own._

" _Don't open it, just give it to him, and you run, don't look back." His face was fierce, the muscles in his neck tense._

 _Zeniba clicked her tongue, waving her hand aimlessly. A tea kettle came floating next to her, steadily pouring another cup of tea._

" _Haku, don't act so rash, there will be consequ-" This time he turned on her, and Suzume almost feared for the woman._

" _I will **handle the consequences**." He barked again. Suzume didn't like that. He had already given so much, she placed the little green sack down on the table, covering it with her hand._

" _I don't have the energy, I couldn't run from **it** if I wanted to." She responded quietly._

 _The small house grew quiet._

 _She was startled to see Haku standing so close._

 _She never truly realized how much taller he was than her, her head only barely reached his shoulder._

 _She watched, on guard, as he pressed his hand to the center of her forehead._

 _A coolness spread down from that spot, filling her veins in icy relief._

 _She shivered._

" _Haku..." Zeniba warned. He snapped at her, never removing his hand._

" _Enough. What is the use of having all this power and never being able to use it when I need it the most?"_

 _He stepped away slowly, retreating to that wooden chair against the far wall, sitting gracefully._

 _He looked only a minor bit worse for wear._

 _She felt so much better._

 _Her arm flared in pain, but she felt so rested, able to cope with it so much better._

 _Her eyes were a little less gritty, her stomach in not so tight a knot, and her legs were a slightly less heavy._

" _You will get to the platform, use what coins you have to barter a ticket, give them my name if you must, whatever it takes. You will take it to nearly the end, I suppose it should be the 34th stop from the platform you'll be entering on." He spoke calmly once more. She cocked her head._

 _A memory flashed before her._

 _ **Don't forget, the 36th stop.** She found herself mimicking the words as they played in her head. Haku and Zeniba both watched her, the former in confusion, the latter in what looked to be fear._

" _Kate, she told me, before I left the House, but I did forget..." How could she have forgotten so quickly!?_

 _She probably wouldn't be in this mess if she could just remember a simple command!_

 _Haku stood deliberately, bracing his open hands against the air, looking as if he was trying to force something heavy downward._

" _Witch, you'd better have answers, quickly." He seethed, the air in the house growing cold, the fire smothering out._

 _Zeniba seemed uncomfortable, but met the man's gaze head on._

" _She was only trying to help..." Zeniba replied sternly, but she deflated. "It's Saisho. She wanted so desperately to see you happy, you mustn't take it out on her Haku!"_

 _Suzume found it hard to breathe, like the air was freezing in her lungs. The windows and doors rattled on their hinges, and she shrieked as the thin glass panes shattered._

 _Reflexively, she made to cover her face, but the tiny glass shards never went anywhere. They hung in mid-air like droplets of water before shooting to the ceiling, embedding themselves in the wood._

" _Where is she?" He growled. The sound he made in he back of his throat was primal._

 _Suzume could feel the rumble in her stomach. It made her want to drop to her knees and apologize._

 _But she didn't even know what was happening, let alone need to apologize for anything._

 _Zeniba sighed, and offered up what he requested. "The last I spoke with her, she was at the Ni~Tsu no nokori teishi."_

 _With a howl that left her deafened, Haku was gone. She had watched in awe as his silvery body had slammed into walls, ceiling and floor; it writhed to be free of the small walls of the home. All of the furniture had been upended. Tiny scales the color of moonlight were stuck to the frame of the broken door where his body had scrapped._

 _She lay in a heap, her body still trembling from the violent act._

" _Well, that went better than expected." The old witch commented, pulling stray pieces of wood from her now messy hair._

 _The woman was waving her hand this way and that way, cleaning the mess the beast had left behind._

 _She stood next to Suzume, offering her a hand up._

" _You'd better wake up dear, it's almost sunrise." Suzume blindly nodded, not sure if she was hearing properly yet._

" _And child, before you go, here's some advice. If you call him, he will come to you." The witch gave her a little nod, a light pat on the back, then stepped away._

 _Her hands were clasped loosely in front of a row of ruffles on her dress, and her big eyes watched Suzume intently._

 _Suzume opened to her mouth, wanting to ask about a thousand questions; instead, she licked her lips, closed her eyes, and willed herself into darkness._

 _She knew better than to expect answers._

* * *

Her eyes blinked open, staring into dirt.

It was almost sunrise. She thought she could practically _feel_ the sun moving, inching higher.

Her body moved, as if understanding the importance of getting to her feet.

Every muscle, every bone and joint within her protested, but it was a dull ache she could ignore, mostly.

She whipped her head around, trying to find the white faced demon.

Of course it wouldn't be that easy.

She took off through some tall stalks. How far reaching was this land? The No-Face could be anywhere!

With a frustrated cry, she stumbled to a halt.

This was no way to go about things, running about like a wild animal! It would not solve anything, and she didn't think fate was kind enough to put her in the demon's path directly.

Closing her eyes, she took a few deep breaths. She needed to think, maybe she could barter her way out of this; no, the Naga obviously knew about Haku and cared little for that leverage. What else did she have?

It had laughed in the face of Kōsen's name, already had Haku under this thumb. This creature would not be controlled.

What had the witch said? That Suzume had forgotten her name, had forgotten everything. That Suzume should have remembered her.

But after that, after Haku had essentially stormed out after this _Saisho_ , who she assumed was Kate's true name, Kate had been in Haku's office after all. She had not forgotten that bit of information, just had let it go over the years.

Zeniba had said something, just before she'd woken up, what was it? Everything was a bit blurry whenever she came or went to these dreams.

"If I call, he will come. Who will? Haku? The No-Face? Why can't these things be clearer!" She groaned.

The surrounding area was getting lighter, easier to see the different colors in the stalks of grass, and just how dark the dirt under her bare feet really was.

It couldn't hurt to call out to the No-Face, it wasn't like she really had many other options.

"No-Face?" She called, continuing to walk more. Her voice was swallowed by the tall grass. She cleared her throat, trying again.

"No-Face!" Louder this time, but still lost among the vegetation.

* * *

She stopped suddenly when she heard a noise to her right. She hadn't heard anything for some time, no animals or birds, this place was devoid of life.

Something was snaking through the grass, creating a nervous flutter in her stomach.

"No-Face?" She tentatively whispered. She received no response.

The noise in the grass grew louder until the Naga towered over her in serpentine form. She couldn't move, her feet were frozen to the spot.

" _It's sunrise."_ It's deep voice echoed in her head, and she swallowed hard.

She shook her head, trying to find words to say.

The Naga's mouth open, emitting a hiss, displaying his needle thin teeth. But he did not strike.

She gulped in a huge mouthful of air, trying to calm the hysterical thoughts in her mind.

"Fine, you can eat me. But first, let me say something." She didn't give it time to respond. "Kōsen, and Haku, they are great, powerful spirits; do you really want to make enemies out of them? Is this how you want them to remember you? People will fear and mistrust you based on their words alone, is that who you want to be?" She shook when it inched closer, hissing once more. She could feel it's hot breath across her face.

" _I **want** to be left alone, what do I care if I am feared?" _ It rumbled. She let loose a shaky breath, nodding her head slowly.

"Alright then, I'm ready."

The Naga watched her, it's body seemingly frozen in place.

A movement to her left caught her attention.

The No-Face.

He stood next to her, facing the Naga, waving his little black arm at the beast.

She could have cried in joy.


	20. Chapter 20

Sorry, didn't expect to have to go into work early and that ate up all my writing time. So short one, but I'll make up for it on Friday.

Bonus points to anyone who can identify the person in this chapter (no cheating!).

The last chapter has quite a few errors, I will get to them in the next day or so. I apologize for them now.

Thank you for the reviews, and enjoy!

* * *

Chapter 20

" _Keep walking, follow the darker grass, you will find a dirt path. Follow that, it will eventually lead you to a fork."_

" _Which do I take?"_

" _You must make that decision for yourself."_

" _How, I don't know where they lead..."_

" _That is a choice you must make."_

" _Can't I take the train?"_

" _No."_

" _Why?"_

" _The train will not come unless someone summons it."_

" _And you won't call it?"_

" _I'm not eating you, isn't that enough favors for the day?"_

" _How will I know the right direction?"_

" _How will I know?"_

Was this the fork in the road?

She had been walking for hours, the No-Face close on her heels. The sun had passed over head and was sinking to the distance.

Thankfully, the tall grass had sheltered them most of the day, until a few hours ago, when they emerged to a road that was surrounded by...nothing. Dirt, in all directions, but there was a worn path, which they followed.

Now they stood at what could be considered a fork in the road. The well worn path continued to the right, but to her left, a much less worn brick path arose.

She looked to the No-Face.

"Which should we take?" She watched the No-Face move toward the well worn path, take a few steps, then retreat toward the brick path. He pointed a shadowy arm down the path, making small noises.

She took a few steps toward the well-worn path.

It would make sense to head this direction, obviously many people had headed this way. It had to lead somewhere.

She glanced at the brick path, noticing the little weeds that grew between the cracks.

"Are you sure?" She asked.

The No-Face nodded again, motioning down the brick path.

She frowned.

"You know what they say about the road less traveled, don't you?" The demon seemed not to care about her anecdote.

He just headed down the path with a look back to see if she was following.

With a sigh, she yelled at him to slow down, to wait for her.

* * *

Surprisingly, the brick path had led to a massive temple, covered in vines and stretching out as far as she could see.

They were ruins to be sure, not some place that was visited often, or at all.

One of the stone turrets was gone, and a whole building was nothing but supporting pillars at this point.

But it felt _holy_.

She felt like it was peaceful and that she was being looked after.

"We'll stop here for the night." She ignored the No-Face's frown, leaving the brick path, and wadding hip deep into the overgrown vegetation.

The main steps were still strong, showing little wear when she expected them to shift under foot. They felt as solid as if they had just been laid.

There was no door to prevent her from entering, nothing covering the small window openings, and there was a whole in the ceiling at the far end of the main room. She could see the last of the sunlight streaming through.

She took a deep breath, inhaling the musky smell of stone and dirt and the sweet smell of decay.

The floors were void of any old furnishings; in fact, there was nothing in here, no wood dais, no tapestries, not even debris from the out side world.

It looked as if the place had been swept clean.

She walked as quietly as she could to the large statue of the God this place was build for. She knew not who it was, a woman perhaps, but the stone was nearly worn clean of any features.

It took her a moment to see what was placed at the statues feet.

She had originally thought it was just some grass and leaves what had been blown in by the wind, but upon further inspection, she found a bunch of fresh picked wild flowers.

She shot to a standing position, turning to face the entrance that hadn't seemed so far away just moments ago.

The No-Face wasn't anywhere.

With cursory look around, hurried to leave, making it as far as the front steps, nearly passing the person.

She stopped dead staring at the brick path. That too seemed much farther than she had recalled walking. The No-Face was pacing on the path, rubbing it's arms together.

She swallowed, turning slowly to face the stranger.

Was it a woman? She couldn't say, not that it mattered much.

The figure was slight, with a shaved head, wrapped in orange robes. The person had a soft smile on their face, but again, that meant little.

They bowed lightly, and on reflex, she returned the greeting.

The figure angled toward the brick path.

"You're demon, it can not enter here." The person turned back to her. "Only the good can enter here."

The words sounded wrong to her, like the person was speaking another language, and she understood, but she didn't know how.

"He isn't bad." She whispered.

The person smiled lightly again.

"He was made for ill, if he was truly reformed, he would not continue to exist." The person said calmly, clasping their hands together.

Suzume turned back to the temple.

"Who are you? What is this place?" She asked.

"I am Bhikkhuni Dhammananda. This a temple dedicated to many. Who are you?" The person tilted their head, examining her. Their eyes lingered on her burned arm.

"It looks as if you have been through quite a struggle."

She subconsciously tucked her arm closer to her body.

"My name is..." She had to think on it for a moment. "Chīsana suzume." She'd almost forgotten. How had she almost forgotten?!

The person shook their head slowly.

"You are hiding behind a false name, do you remember who you are?" Suzume startled, staring at the person.

The person made no moves, just watched her.

She didn't know how to respond. What could she say to that? Did she remember who she was? What was there to remember? She shook her head. When she looked up again, the person was walking back into the temple.

She rubbed at her eyes, sure she was seeing something.

"Feel free to rest here as long as you need, you are safe within these walls." The person was fading.

Slowly, Suzume was able to see the huge statue through their body.

Fear welled in her, watching this person disappear.

They were gone before she could find her voice.

She walked out to the path, standing next to the No-Face.

The sense of serenity fell away from her as she stepped out of the grass, and she immediately missed it. Her body instantly felt more weary, tired and heavy.

She sat down, feeling the warmth of the bricks against her legs.

She'd forgotten how much she ached.

Holding her head in her hand, she sat there for some minutes, just wanting to collect herself. The No-Face hovered over her precariously, nearly engulfing her in his body.

A vicious crack over head startled her, causing her to fall to her side.

"It's just thunder!" She scolded herself.

Did she want to be outside when it started raining? Even if there were no doors, or windows, the dilapidated temple did offer more protection from the sun and rain.

And the person did say she would be safe there.

"Can people who disappear be trusted though?" Another deafening crack brought her to her feet.

"Guess there's one way to find out. Sorry No-Face, but the water goes right through you."

* * *

So 48 hours till the next chapter? Why did I think this would be a cake walk? It actually kind of sucks... Anyhow, thanks for reading!


	21. Chapter 21

A tad late, but as promised, a supa-long-chapta!

So, Bhikkhuni Dhammananda, is a Thai Buddhist nun, who has a PhD, and is head of the only temple in Sri Lanka that has fully ordained nuns. She's a real lady, and she's kick ass, and I'm only borrowing her likeness. She shall fall to no ill in my story, I hold her in the highest regard.

I've been painfully hooked on some K-Dramas (Right now I'm binging Beating Again), but it's so hard. I'm learning Japanese, not Korean, so I have to watch it with the subs. In most Japanese shows, I can throw the subs on, and I can get the gist of what's happening by their facial expressions, the tone of their voice, and obviously by some of the words which I'm learning/recognizing. Korean is SO different, so much harder. Their sentence structure is crazy, and at least in the shows (I'm not too read up in Korean culture), they have random bursts of emotion (and yelling) in their dialogue. So I can not watch and type, or do anything else! I demands my total focus, terrible for writing, or pretty much anything else.

Anywho, my rant is over. Enjoy this! I will review in a few days, I apologize ahead of time for any mistakes. Feel free to shoot me a PM if you can't any outstanding ones.

Thank you for reading.

* * *

Chapter Twenty-One

The stone below her was cool and acrid smelling. The roughness felt pleasant against her cheek but she couldn't lay there much longer.

She spent her days rotating between dozing in a meadow of sweet grass, shielded from the sun, but soaking in the warmth; or sleeping in a mostly covered ruin on the temple grounds at night. She spent some time with the No-Face, sitting on the brick path, studying the temple, everyday. She couldn't say how long she had been there for.

She never ran into any person, and her body was finally calming down. It didn't jump at every noise, her heart didn't kick start at every shadow.

Her minor cuts and scrapes had mostly healed, her bruises had faded to yellow and the stiffness left her bones.

She felt like she was half asleep all the time, as if her mind had been so weary and now it finally had time to rest.

Her arm, however, was another story.

She lost more and more use of it each day.

It felt like is was turning to stone, it grew heavier and was locked into a bent position. At first, she had tried to work it out, a little bit each day, bending and extending it slowly. The pain became so severe she honestly contemplated removing it but had no means, and it was her arm for goodness sake!

It ached all the way into her shoulder, and she found herself constantly trying to straighten her back out, finding herself slouching under the weight of the wound.

It still seeped blood and other fluids, was charred in the worst parts. She had gone through nearly all of the vial of pain reliever, she would need to find away to ease the pain some other way.

She sat idly next to the No-Face, popping some wild berries into her mouth one by one, chewing thoughtfully.

"How long do you suppose we've been here?" She commented. The No-Face didn't answer, just stood off to the side.

He had spent the first few days she could recall motioning onward, but now, he seemed tired as well. His body, too, was more hunched, and his arms dragged a bit lower.

She was mildly concerned for him, but couldn't find it in her to do anything about it. She had so much on her plate as it was.

"I guess is doesn't really matter, where else are we gonna go?" She sighed, leaning back on to her good arm.

"Where do we go from here?" She closed her eyes, not knowing if she wanted Haku to be there. She was just a burden to him, after all he had done for her, she just kept demanding more.

And she had walked right back into the den of the Naga, _willingly_! What had she been thinking?! She had basically spit in Haku's face, granted, she hadn't known.

At least the serpent had given her some answer, the first straight answers she'd heard in a very long time, perhaps ever.

And the serpent hadn't harmed her any, frightened her, and tired her, but it had been true to it's word, it had let her go.

Painfully slow, she got to her feet.

It was going to get dark soon.

She needed to retreat to the safety of the temple. She had seen little eyes in the grasses once the sun set, and she didn't want to find out if they meant her harm or not.

"Good night, No-Face." The demon waved her off, fading into the background.

The grass tickled her legs as she carefully followed the path she had forged, scrapping her feet on the first stone step.

She didn't want to drag in any more dirt than she had to.

She was only mildly surprised to look up and see the orange robed figure.

"Bhikkhuni Dhammananda." She said, bowing lightly. They returned the welcome.

"I sensed you were still here. Many say they have seen you in the gardens, you've become quite the commodity." Suzume watched them carefully as they motioned her through the doors of the dilapidated temple.

"You have not seen them, I am not surprised. These planes do not often cross anymore, although we were once quite close."

They walked at a sedate pace through the main temple room.

The person stopped halfway, waving their hand out as if displaying something, drawing her eye to the large statue at the far end.

Suzume blinked slowly, trying to adjust her vision.

It was like she had opened her eyes underwater; everything was a bit distorted, and shimmery. She rubbed her eyes.

A dozen orange robed figures were kneeling before the statue, their heads ducked down, their up-turned hands neatly placed on their knees.

"Who are they?" She whispered, scared her voice would startle them out of whatever peace they were in.

"Nuns; humans." The short answer came.

She crumpled over, crying out in pain, from both a deep part within and her damaged arm.

" _What? A human?"_

" _A human! You're the one everyone's looking for!"_

" _You smell like a human!"_

" _This is no place for a human. It's a bathhouse, for the spirits..."_

" _We don't take humans..."_

It took her some time before she could catch her breath. Images fluttered past her eyes, faces she couldn't put names to, voices she had heard before but could not recall where.

Her stomach rolled violently.

"I'm human...I think..." She managed to say, looking up cautiously. The rows of nuns were gone, but the one who spoke with her still by her side.

They gave her a small smile, bowing their head again.

"There are some of us who are closer to our spirits than our flesh. I imagine that is why you linger, but one can not know for sure." Suzume didn't know what to say. Was she born on their plane, or the one this person had just shown her.

If she faded, did she go to another plane?

Is that what happened to her? She faded and appeared on this plane? She only had memories of the past nine years, of Kōsen finding her when she was ten.

"The longer you spend here, the more integrated you shall become with my plane, tread wisely. I must go now, this is tiring on my spirit to be here." With another shallow bow, the person, faded from her view.

She was alone, again.

* * *

In the dark of the night, she would wake, with hours before the sun would rise, having dreamed of something disturbing.

It changed from one night to the next, never the same dream.

Kate burned alive.

Emi slain in her blankets.

Kōsen run through by multiple blades.

Tuskete cut down without care.

She would wake suddenly, tears already having taken over her face, her arm flaring and her heart aching fiercely.

What she wouldn't give to know their fate.

Even if they were truly gone, she was sure she'd rather know.

This not knowing was eating alive.

* * *

She took to sweeping the temple with a makeshift broom of sturdy grass stalks.

The rooms didn't need sweeping, but it gave her good arm something to do, and to keep her mind off her terrible thoughts, she counted each pass of the bristled end.

By the time the sun was rising, she felt confident enough to head out, checking first to see if No-Face was still there, he always way, then forging for something to eat.

The temple grounds had plenty to offer, and a tiny stream, that no doubt led back to the Naga's waters, was ample enough to soak her clothes in.

She couldn't really scrub them, what with her arm being of no use, but she managed.

She would drape the clothing over one leg, pin it down with the other, and use her good hand (and a good smooth rock) to beat out most of the dirt, soot, sweat and blood.

Then they would be laid out in the sun to dry.

Not a perfect system, but it was better than anything else she had.

And, it gave her a bit of a thrill to lounge about in the nude.

There wasn't anyone around (at least, she hadn't been aware anyone could see her at the time), the sun felt good on her skin, and who would look twice at her scrawny body.

The bottoms of her feet were hardening, and seemed permanently stained a mix of green and brown.

Her hair was a lost cause.

She wish she had the forethought to grab a comb before she left.

"You weren't exactly thinking about hoofing it in the wild, with a damaged arm, at the time. Besides, you had other things on your mind, forgive yourself." She sighed to herself, wiping her mouth on her shoulder.

She thought twice about stripping down now that she knew that someone on another plane might see her, but she decided she didn't care.

They couldn't touch, or talk to her. What did she care?

* * *

The day she used the last of the pain reliever wasn't as disheartening as she thought it would be. Her pain was bearable. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad.

By the time the sun had sunk behind the horizon, she was going to kill herself; if only she could think enough to get up, and find some way to off herself.

The pain was so _acute_.

It was burning, a slow drilling of molten in her bone.

Her mind felt so sharp, the night seemed so bright. The colors which had seemed to dull and pastel every other night were bright and crisp.

The air was filled with noises she had never realized were there.

She lay on the floor in the center of the main temple room, her body shivering and quaking as it fought with itsef.

Her skin was soaked in sweat, her hair pasted to her face, her teeth gritted.

She couldn't do anything but try and breathe through the pain. She didn't think it was infected, she had seen festering wounds in some of the workers, ones who hadn't wanted to have more time added to their contracts for needing medical attention.

Most survived, but it took much longer for them to heal, and they lived many days in immense pain.

Her eyes clenched closed as another wave wracked her body, her muscles quivering.

She could smell them when they arrived.

They smelled earthy, with the poignant stench of dried sweat. She couldn't place what exactly their smell was, or if it was pleasant at all, but she could definitely smell it.

There was the nun who visited her from time to time, sitting above her head. Then, there were two more, on either side of her, their eyes closed, heads tipped low.

Their legs were crossed in what looked to be a painful manner, and their hands were relaxed on their knees.

They were chanting something, low and in a monotone voice.

She couldn't make out any words that were familiar.

There was no strength to spare speaking.

Whether she passed in and out of consciousness was debatable. Their figured would waver, flicker. There one moment, gone the next, only to reappear.

Their chanting never ceased.

It was spinning circles in her head. It gave her something to focus on, to attempt to ignore the pain. She tried to mimic the words they spoke, trying to move her mouth in time.

Anything to make it through the night.

This went on, and on.

At one point, she was convinced she felt flecks of rainwater speckle her face, the rush of wind with the feel of a storm. But when her eyes next opened, there was just sunshine peaking through the window openings.

She couldn't say if she'd been there for hours, or days, or months.

Her eyes would open, she'd be alone with the chanting words, and she would be lulled back into sleep.

Her eyes would open, there would be two, three, sometimes six nuns sitting around her droning on. Some times they held beads, herbs or wooden bowls.

Not once did they ever touch her.

* * *

At some point, she realized her shaking had lessened, her breath came a bit easier, and her jaw wasn't as tightly clenched.

Her eye sight was much more steady.

She watched Bhikkhuni Dhammananda as they leaned over her head with their eyes closed, their lips moving quickly and silently.

The orange of their robes was more vibrant than she could remember.

She could see each of the fibers woven into the fabric.

"How long have I been out?" She croaked, licking her lips. Sweat still spilled down her face, pooling on her upper lip.

Her stomach felt like it was in knots.

"A long time. Your body, it has been working hard to function without the sedative you were giving it."

She frowned, leaning up onto her good arm.

Her entire body felt weak.

"Sedative?" The word even sounded weird coming from her mouth.

She needed air.

She struggled to her feet, conscious of her damp clothes. Her skin felt _grimy_.

How long had she laid in this one spot?

The sun was out.

It was almost too strong for her cleared eyes, she had to shield her face while she adjusted.

The warmth wasn't as comforting as she had expected it to be, it nearly felt stifling, like a heavy blanket.

She stepped back into the shade of the temple, and was bewildered to see that the brick path had been torn up.

She felt her heart well into her throat.

There were huge gouges in the ground, the surrounding vegetation was ripped from its roots, or flattened.

"What happened here?" She gasped, taking some steps towards the ruined mess.

Bhikkhuni Dhammananda hummed.

"We had a visitor, while you were ill. It could not enter, and felt the repercussions of trying."

Before she could give explanation as to her actions, she was dashing through the grasses on shaky legs, nearly rolling her ankle.

"Was it the Naga?" She peered at the confused face of the nun, elaborating. "A massive black snake like creature." They shook their head. She turned back to the destroyed path.

Where was the No-Face?

"No. A massive creature indeed, but not quite a snake. Rather fox like, maybe a cat. I have never seen the likes of it before."

Suzume knelt down, careful not to step over the edge of the undisturbed grass.

The damage was all past this line, this must be where the barrier was drawn.

Tiny translucent petals decorated the ground, looking like ice.

She carefully picked one up, sliding her fingers over it, pressing it to her cheek.

It felt as cold as ice.

"No, not a fox, or cat. A dragon." She said aloud, standing to face the nun. She was treated to a weary look.

"No friend of yours I assume." Was the quip.

Suzume shook her head.

"I don't know who he is to me. Why couldn't he enter?" She took a few steps back towards the temple before remembering the No-Face.

She called out a few times for him, but he never appeared.

Haku must have taken him back.

"Only good things can enter." Came the automatic reply from the person.

Suzume wanted to snap that Haku _was_ good.

But she didn't know that.

He had been good to her, so far.

Who was to say he was a good person though?

She retreated back to the temple, returning to the shade.

Bhikkhuni Dhammananda continued to stare out at the ruined path.

"I have left something in the temple for you. Use it to temper the pain your wounds give you, it is the bark from a willow tree. Many line the creek. It will help." Suzume nodded, still holding the scale, no bigger than her thumb, to her cheek.

"I must go. My people and I are tired, you are well enough to be without us."

Before Suzume could thank them, they were gone, blinking out of this plane.

She continued to stare out at the damage, not sure what it all meant.

Haku had been here, had been unable to enter the temple grounds, because only the good could enter.

Was he bad?

Was he bad like the No-Face?

Or was he bad like the Naga?

Nothing was black and white anymore.

She sighed, slumping to the ground, tapping her head against the stone pillar next to her.

She just watched the day pass, not really knowing what to do.

What she didn't expect, as the sun sunk, was for the temperature to drop as well.

It was crisp, and sent a shiver down her spine.

The sun hadn't even fall behind the horizon yet, and already the air was chilled.

"How long was I out for?"

* * *

She didn't see the nuns again for a long time.

Her days passed slowly.

It was still warm during peak sunlight hours, but it was getting cooler and cooler.

As repayment for allowing her to stay for so long, and for caring for her, in their own way, she started to rebuild the road.

The first day, she tired out just moving a few of the bricks.

Little by little, each day, she did just a bit more; until finally she worked a whole day without much huffing and puffing.

Her wounded are was wrapped tightly to her body to prevent as little movement as possible, and she chewed the nasty willow bark throughout the day to take the edge off.

After what had to be a two or three weeks, she rested her hand on her hip, feeling such happiness at finally being done.

A further inspection showed her lines were horribly skewed and uneven.

With a frown and huff, she stormed to the creek to wash up.

Tomorrow was another day.

* * *

"Why couldn't he enter? He's good, I'm sure of it." She asked. The nun bowed their head, walking alongside her through the meadow.

"We can not be all good; there is evil everywhere and we must be the ones who defend our persons against it. Some times, we may do what we think is well but in the larger picture, it is for evil. Or we may do evil for the good."

Suzume rubbed her fingers across some wildflowers as they passed.

"So how can we avoid evil if sometimes we must do it to be good?" This was just confusing.

"We must learn to be at peace with ourselves and others; evil will always happen but we can cleanse our spirits."

Suzume thought this over, keeping silent for a long time. They had turned back toward the temple by the time she spoke again.

"So he can be good, and evil, and still can't enter? What about me? Why could I enter?" She questioned. Bhikkhuni Dhammananda paused, turning to her.

"Your soul, it is not whole. But the piece you carry, it is pure. It does not have the taint of the world. You carry the soul of a child within you."

A soul of a child?!

She was mostly grown! Sure, maybe she could have some more meat on her bones, she'd been living on wild roots and berries for some weeks for goodness sake!

She shook her head, brushing their words off as crazy.

"But that still doesn't answer why he couldn't enter..." She insisted, staring them in the face.

They met her gaze, blinking slowly, then turning away to ascend the short steps.

"Perhaps he is not at peace with himself yet. I can not say."

Suzume was left standing in the grass, alone.

* * *

She sat up onto her knees, the grass almost taller than her. She was just able to peer through, listening for the noise she thought she heard.

Footsteps.

She kept low, trying to find the maker of the noise.

She stamped down the rising fear, and hope, that it would be Haku.

Or Kōsen.

But it was neither of them.

She just about looked right past him. He wore green, pale and simple, and he nearly blended in with the vegetation.

And he was _big_.

Literally, physically. He was all muscle.

His skin was a smooth dark cinnamon color, what she could see of it anyway. He was modestly covered, with a satchel strung over his shoulder.

He walked along the brick road, staring down, calmly studying the path. She watched as he stopped, looking the path up and down, then laughing.

She blushed, feeling the shame of her imperfect work on the path.

She had tried her hardest damn it!

With only one working arm at that!

He waltzed slowly over the barrier, making quick work of the short steps.

His eyes swept over the field, taking in every detail.

She sunk down when she felt his eyes on her, sure that he had seen her. He continued on into the temple.

She crawled forward until she could peer into one of the window openings, watching as Bhikkhuni Dhammananda appeared, bowing low to the man.

He returned a short bow, and they spoke quietly.

She ducked down quickly when his gaze shot to her.

She bit her lip, retreating.

She watched the entrance of the temple for a while, debating whether or not to confront the man.

She decided to let him be, to watch him.

Maybe he would leave soon.

"Besides, he entered the temple, so he's good... right?" She was still all mixed up about this good versus evil thing.

On one hand, if you didn't think too hard about it, it made complete sense. On the other hand, it was crazy confusing.

She shuffled off to one of the surrounding ruined sites to sleep for the night. There was no way she was going in that temple with him, she'd had enough of placing herself in dumb situations for a lifetime.

* * *

Two days. It had only been two days since the stranger appeared.

In that time, he had ripped up all of her hard work, and was halfway done relaying the bricks in perfectly neat rows.

She wanted to throw rocks at him while he worked.

She stayed hidden in the taller grasses, just watching from afar, admiring a bit if she was being honest with herself.

"No more strolling about nude though." She commented to herself.

For what seemed like the dozenth time, she ducked her head as he looked up.

There was _no_ way he could have heard her. She was how far away!

Even Kōsen couldn't have heard her from such a distance!

She looked back over to see she had lost him. Whipping around, trying to find his form, she spotted him standing in some shade, shirt off, wiping his face with the garment.

She only partially tried not to stare.

It looked like he had scars marring his back and sides, darker than his skin tone, wide marks tapering to thin points.

A whip maybe? It must have been one huge whip!

She rolled her eyes.

"What are you thinking, you dummy." She growled to herself, rubbing her hand across her face.

She screamed, jumping back, stumbling on to her back end, and some how launching back up enough to scamper a few feet away.

He was sitting within arms reach of her!

"How did you move so fast!?" She screeched, holding her hand over her heart, thinking of the nun's chanting to breathe through the pain of her arm.

She flattened herself down into the dirt, using the grass as coverage as she looked for the best route away from him.

She watched him yawn, frowning at his blase behavior.

He sat straight backed, legs crossed under him, with his chin dropped into one palm.

Despite his relaxed stance, his amber eyes watched her intently, pining her to where she lay hidden.

She studied him, not sure if he could actually see her, or if he just knew she was in a general area.

Dismayed, she realized the markings on his body were not scars, no, far from it.

"You can come out now. I'm not gonna harm you." His drawl was low and gravelly, like he'd swallowed a mouthful of rocks.

With a hard swallow, and a deep breath, she stood.

He returned the gesture, slowly rising to his feet in one fluid motion.

She squared her shoulders best she could, glaring strongly at him.

She would show him she wasn't to be messed with!

He merely raised any eyebrow at her hostile look.

If she had learned one thing from working under Kōsen, she had learned that first impressions counted with spirits. _That's_ how they remembered you, when they decided to trust you or not, respect you or not.

He had a face full of... fur...

She couldn't really give it another name, It grew down his neck, and flared out along his jawline. He had a very strong, masculine face, with bushy brows and a wide straight nose.

Her gaze traveled to his torso, marveling at what she first thought were scars.

Stripes.

Her gaze snapped back to his amused eyes, watching as he reached a hand out to her.

She didn't flinch away, although she desperately wanted to.

His pointer finger grazed her jaw, applying just enough pressure to turn her head to the right.

She knew the age old Naga bite would be visible, as well as the searing burn that crept up toward her shoulder.

The rest of her damaged arm was tucked neatly against her body, hidden away by the cloth used to bind it to her body.

"Looks like sum'un put ta'beat down on you." He grumbled, his strong gaze traveling down her neck and arm.

Without really thinking, just acting on a bit of flared instinct that complained he was too close, she tried to damage that which was closest.

Her teeth latched onto his finger.

She instantly knew she'd made a mistake when his wild eyes dilated sized her up.

* * *

So Wednesday update? I'm thinking so, give me a few days off. K-Dramas callin' my name! Thank you for reading! I hope you are all enjoying it so far! Please review!


	22. Chapter 22

But did you die?! No, and neither did I. Just merely sick for a while, and then had to catch up on work because of being sick.

So sorry!

Enjoy.

* * *

Chapter Twenty-Two

With her eyes closed, she counted the breaths, smelling the sweet grass they sat in. She waited to be struck down, waited for him to retaliate.

After twenty, thirty, forty breaths, she peaked an eye open.

He was no where to be found. She looked around, peering through the grass. He couldn't have gone far. She rose slowly, just in time to see him ascend the temple steps.

After a moment's hesitation, she followed, trying to catch up.

The stones of the temple were significantly cooler, and the shade was a welcome reprieve from the beating sun.

He was no where to be found within the the ruined building.

She slumped against a wall, closing her eyes again.

Maybe she was seeing things, maybe this man didn't really exist.

The scent of stale herbs filled her nostrils, and her eyes fluttered open, landing on Bhikkhuni Dhammananda.

"Why is it only you can talk to me?" The question was out of her mouth before she could stop herself.

The nun smiled lightly, turning away from her.

"I am Enlightened. After years of training, my spirit can breach alternate planes of existence. I see you have made the acquaintance of Phu, I was wondering how long it would take you to come out of hiding." Suzume rolled her eyes with a grunt.

"Can he be trusted?" She asked. These people had saved her life, or at least helped her through a terrible time. They had shared their shelter, and gave her a safe place to sleep. For that, she could only be grateful.

The nun shrugged, a rather undignified motion for them.

"Phu is the spiritual guardian of this temple. This is his land, on this plane. You may only reside here because he allows it. It is unlike him to make a visit this early, we often don't see him but near the solstices."

Suzume stood slowly, taking a moment to breathe through the pain of her arm.

"That didn't answer the question, can he be trusted? Where is he now? Should I leave before he returns?" She rushed, scrapping her feet on the rough stone underneath.

Bhikkhuni Dhammananda shook her head.

"I am not all knowing. I do not pretend to know the behaviors or temperaments of the spirits which surround us. In the years I have know Phu, he has never been a cruel guardian. Even now, he prowls among us humans, and none fear his potential hunger."

She felt like she wasn't getting a straight answer, that this person was dodging the question. Maybe it was time to leave.

* * *

She spent the rest of the day sitting in the shade on the brick path. She wanted someone she knew, someone she could talk to, laugh with. Laughing, even the word sounded so foreign.

She tried desperately not to think about her friends at the House, not to think about Kate, or Emi. So that left only a few people to think about.

Haku?

He'd come and gone. Surely he would have been back by now, and shouldn't she be able to see him by now?

Kōsen? Well, to be honest, she was glad she was no longer under his thumb, but that didn't mean she wished him any ill. The man had literally saved her life on multiple counts. She owed him more than she could say.

Phu? She just hoped he'd leave her be.

As if her thoughts tempted the fates, the man appeared, pacing silently through the tall grasses. He had a slow, sprawling gait. He was obviously in no rush, and took his time sauntering forward, stopping just at the edge of the brick road.

She ignored him, staring off to the side.

Maybe he would go away.

"If you're try'na get away, you'll hav'ta go further than that. Still my land."

Or maybe he wouldn't.

She frowned, scooting her body away, turning to face a different direction.

"I'm not try'na chase you away. I'll be gone just as soon as I figure out why a dragon was attempting to force his way into the temple." He drawled, squatting down next to her. She looked away, feeling petulant.

"And that got me thinkin'. Tha' only thing that's changed is, I've got a human livin' on my land, in tha' spirit world no less. You're on tha' wrong side of the veil honey. This world is no place for you." His rumbling voice echoed within, drumming up her blood.

She closed her eyes, covering her one ear with her good hand, hoping to block him out.

She didn't need anymore taunting spirits in her life right now.

All she wanted was to find Haku, to find out who she was, what her name was and where she belonged.

She didn't need any more issues.

"Looks like you've survived a ton, but it'll only get more difficult from here." She dropped her hand, leaning back onto it.

Met by only her silence, he stood, waving his hand over his shoulder as he casually walked back toward the temple.

"Stay out here all you want, but be warned, dragons aren't tha' only thing lurkin' about."

She shuttered, recalling the slick body of the Naga.

With a shiver down her back, she made sure to shuffle her body just over the invisible barrier, feeling the calmness wash over her.

* * *

Rain dripped slowly down the faces of the stones that surrounded her. Her hair was plastered to her head, her clothes were soaked, and she couldn't tell between the rain drops and her tears. She was having a moment of self pity.

Sitting out in the chilled rain wasn't exactly how she wanted to spend her night, but she didn't want to deal with the male spirit.

She couldn't say why, but he seemed to get under her skin. She didn't trust him entirely, and didn't feel comfortable in his presence.

Maybe it was because it was his land and she had basically taken up residence without asking, and he could kick her out at any time.

Or could demand payment.

She ducked her head down against her knees, squeezing her eyes closed.

What in the world would she do if she got enslaved? All the work Haku had gone to would be wasted. But she did need to figure something out. Maybe she could get to a city and take up a temporary job to earn some more coin. She could do with some new clothes, some medicine or a visit to a healer, and maybe some food more filling than berries and roots.

She needed a job.

All her life she was told that she needed a purpose, she needed to do something so that she could coninue to exist.

She had been threatened for many years that if she did not have a job, a purpose, she would fade. Her body would turn hollow, she wouldn't be able to touch or taste, or see. She would cease to exist.

With a groan she covered her head with her good arm, feeling the rain slip down her back. It chilled her, raising hairs on her back.

She didn't think she would die from the cold, she had worked through how many nights in the gardens. She could feel the ache in her toes at the memory of trudging through the snow in her thin work shoes.

What she would do to appear in those baths she had so long ago.

It wouldn't hurt if Haku happened to be there either.

Maybe he could talk her through what she should do next; where should she go?

With a frown, she sat up a bit straighter. She would tell him she didn't expect him to look after her, just give her her name, some advice on how to fix her arm, and maybe some information on a good employer.

"Somewhere things are normal. No more of this drama." She sighed, leaning back into the stone ruins.

"Maybe he can fix my arm... A lot of use I'll be with this mess." She tried to shrug the arm, gritting her teeth at the burning sear that lanced into her belly.

She struggled to breathe around the pain.

Tossing her head back, she focused on the large drops as they splashed her face.

She missed her friends.

She missed the Inn.

You never really knew how comfortable you became in your life, how much you took for granted.

She missed when Emi would crawl into her bedroll on chilly nights, tossing her blankets over top of the both of them. She would complain, grumbling how there was only room for one, and that Emi had her own bed, but really, she was grateful for the company. Emi was practically a sister, they told each other everything... except, she had never mentioned Haku.

The guilt was a bit overwhelming.

She regretted not telling her. She regretted not asking Kōsen more about his daughter, she regretted leaving Tuskete to fend for herself in the fire.

She held her good hand over her eyes, pressing hard, hoping to steam the tears.

Her mind was so confused, her body hanging in some weird limbo of ready to run away at a moments notice but too tired to go far. She was like a baby deer, wanting to flee the danger, but too scared to leave it's mother, it's saftey.

Her skin prickled, unable to decide between the hot tears and the cold rain.

She sobbed, unable to stifle the noise.

After a few minutes, the worst of it had passed. She was able to calm her heaving a bit, wipe her face, and slow the tears.

The release she felt after the cry was cathartic. Her mind felt a tad calmer, her eyes heavier, and her body felt like it was slowing down.

She could maybe enjoy a whole night of sleep.

She opened her eyes, blinking slowly, waiting for the warmth of sleep to claim her.

In the darkness, she watched a shadow creep closer, but she couldn't care.

Let whatever that was to happen happen.

Her eyes closed again, and she felt her head loll to the side.

* * *

She felt her body slid to the side, but in her sleep induced coma she couldn't stop her fall. She landed on her side, her head smacking the stone.

With a startled cry, she jolted up, cradling her head, and then her arm.

Groggily, she looked around, wondering when it had stopped raining. As the haze of pain and sleep cleared from her eyes, she realized she was in the temple, seated in a corner. A fire burned low in a hearth she had never noticed.

Her cloths and hair were still damp, but her body was warm, no chill left in her bones.

She stared into the low flames, mesmerized. It had been a long time since she had seen fire. She didn't fear it like she thought she would. The thought of it growing larger, taking over, destroying all it touched, she was not afraid. _This_ fire was controlled; it had the ability to spiral out of hand, but someone had been tending to it, and it was well kept.

She flinched when the owner of the fire rose out of the shadows.

"Yur' awake."

She eyed the male spirit wearily as he sauntered closer. He was broad shouldered and on the bulkier side, which confused her mind as she watched him move smoothly towards her. Her mind struggled to understand how such a bulky creature could move so fluidly.

She found her tongue nailed to the roof of her mouth as she watched him crouch down in front of her. He gripped her wrist lightly, pulling her wounded arm away from her body.

She wanted to pull away, to keep her arm pressed to her body where it was the most safe.

But she had no strength in the muscles to fight.

The skin protested being stretched, she whimpered as tiny cracks formed in the burn. Some of the charred skin had flaked off in the past few days, leaving sore red inflamed scarring.

He continued to extend her arm, twisting it lightly one way then another, examining the wound. Her elbow joint cracked loudly.

She braced for the shot of pain that she assumed would follow such a loud noise, but instead, she felt pressure release from her elbow.

"Ya'might lose tha' arm." He said disinterestedly. "Ya' kept it clean though."

She still couldn't say anything.

She could hardly breathe.

Her stomach was rolling from pain, and if she was honest with herself, fear.

He stood suddenly, startling her out of her thoughts.

"Stay hur'. I'll be back." Without hesitation, he was gone, halfway out the temple doors, striding into the pouring rain without a falter.

She sat without moving, her arm still extended in front of her, unsure what to do with it.

If she tucked it in close again, would she have to straighten it again? Would the elbow tighten up again? A part of her warned that the male might be returning to remove her arm. He did say she might lose it, what if the damage was too great already?

Could it harm the rest of her body if she left it alone? Would the limb die?

She had seen a few cases of flesh rot in the House, wounds left untreated for fear of punishment.

In most cases the putrid flesh was not salvageable, but there were very few spirits who lost limbs.

She just stared at the floor, counting the seconds until she watched him stride back in.

He was soaked.

He stopped half way into the temple, and shook fiercely, shaking the excess water from his body.

His steps were quiet as he moved closer, settling himself down in front of her. He pulled out a roll of something, and placed a small stack of wet green leaves next to his knee.

After a quiet moment, and a side look at her tremoring arm, he gripped her wrist tightly, resting it on his knee.

"This won't fix tha' problem, but it'll help it heal some." He shredded the leaves into thin pieces, laying them lightly on her burn.

Then he took the roll of what looked to be cloth, and wrapped her arm lightly, ignoring her winces and gasps of pain.

"It's gotta be tight, keep it clean, change it in a few days. Wash the bandage, the leaves are from the dandelion plant. Easy to find."

He sat back, admiring his work, double checking to make sure the bandage held. She twisted her arm this way, then that way, looking to see how it was tied. The bandage was a cream color, not the pristine white of bandages she had seen at the House. And it was softer, stretchier than the starched fabric of the bandages she was used to.

He stood slowly, retreating to a corner near the low burning fire, sinking down and lounging out. She watched him lean his head onto his hand, closing his eyes.

She studied her aching arm again, then looked him over again.

"Thank you." She murmured. He didn't move, didn't open his eyes, she thought maybe he hadn't heard her.

But his light 'hum' echoed around the room.

It was a comforting sound.

She leaned back, leaving her arm outstretched on her legs, and stared tiredly at the small flames.

The burning embers lulled her into a quiet doze.

* * *

Thank you for reading! Please review.


	23. Chapter 23

So, I'll apologize first. A few excuses. I got quite sick. Then I became frustrated with where I wanted this story to go. Then I decided to abandon it. And just recently, I decided to not abandon it, but try and take it from a different part. So I took some time to write a few chapters that will be posted once a week. I will still be aiming for Friday. These are already done, but may need some revision. I've decided to write from the end, up until this point. I know how I want it to end. Just the getting there is disheartening. So, we'll see how this works.

SO! Summary. I'm not abandoning, I've received a few PM's about this. To be honest, they definitely swayed me to keep going. Just bare with me.

Enjoy.

* * *

Chapter Twenty-Three

"Ya' can'na stay here forever." She mostly ignored the male spirit while he worked. She was soaking in the last of the warmth from the day, before the sun set and the chill moved in.

"Yur' stuck, between worlds. Yur' a human, you don't belong in this realm, but ya' won't cross over. So yur' stuck."

Phu was laying the last of the brick path, his back bathed in sweat. She was studiously ignoring his grumbling voice as it was carried by the wind.

There was an uneasiness that fluttered about in her stomach.

She had been thinking the past few days.

She should leave, move on.

Haku was not returning.

He would have by now, surely.

What stopped him?

Phu exhaled heavily with a clap of his hands, straightening up, surveying his work.

"I've only had to lay this twice before, been some years, guess it was due fur' some attention." He grinned, his canines flashing cheekily at her.

She rolled her eyes, standing slowly.

She stood toe to toe with the barrier. Phu offered his hand, he seemed unaffected by whatever spell protected the temple.

Her stomach twisted in a knot, a cold sweat beading up on her face. Licking her lips, scolding herself for such silly nervousness, she fisted her pants in her good hand, and passed through the barrier with little effort.

The brick was warm and rough on her feet.

She could feel the weight of the world settle around her again. Her limbs felt awkward and weak, her lungs a bit heavier, and blood thudded thickly through her ears.

"Why was tha' dragon here?" Ever direct with his questions, Phu walked around her, stamping on a few uneven bricks.

She shrugged, surprised her wounded arm did not protest the movement much.

"Here to help."

He was there to help. But he wasn't any more.

Phu looked over the damaged foliage with a short laugh.

"Funny kind of help he is, it'll take months for tha' damage to mend." She frowned, trying to ignore the queasiness in her stomach.

"Who is he?" He continued, threading his fingers into his wild hair.

Her mouth spoke before her mind fully understood the question.

"A friend..." She studied the deep gouges in the dirt. "...I think."

He merely quirked an eyebrow in her direction before turning away again.

"His name, it's Haku..." She trailed of quietly, unsure of how much information he wanted. She didn't know why she was so ready to talk.

Maybe she felt guilty for keeping Haku from Emi.

Or maybe she thought this spirit might help her.

He merely nodded his head, walking slowly, his boots crunching the soft grasses.

They had crossed over the barrier once more.

She hadn't even realized they were moving away from the road.

He was awfully quiet.

"Do you know him?" She asked lightly, half fearing the answer. Of course he probably knew Haku.

"Nope." His nonchalant answer threw her off.

"I don't leave my land much. Speaking of, I am needed somewhere else, I will be gone for a few days.

Ya' have until I return to decide." He calmly continued.

She stopped dead.

"I don't understand, decide what?" She watched his back move further and further from her until he was cast in the shadow of the sun.

He turned then, his amber eyes glinting.

"I told ya', ya' can not stay here. Ya' need to decide if ya' want to stay a human in a spirit realm, or cross back over tha' veil."

He shoved his hands into the folds of his sleeve.

Her mind buzzed, trying to make sense of his words.

His head tipped to one side.

"My advice...? Unless ya' got sumthin' worth dyin' for over here, ya' head back to where ya' belong."

Her heart thudded loudly in her chest.

He cast a farewell wave over his shoulder as he turned and sauntered out of sight.

* * *

She waited until sun up, when the first rays peaked over the horizon, basking the temple in weak light. The air was cold, dew freezing on the tips of the tall grasses, and fogging her breath up.

"Bhikkhuni Dhammananda." She spoke clearly. She sat knelt before the large formless statue, hands folded in her lap.

Her wounded arm ached.

Phu had told her to stretch it each day, no matter how sore it was.

She smelled the woman before she saw her.

Sweat and herbs.

She had smelled that before, on a woman who worked for Haku.

She thought back to the night she had been in his rooms, before the fire. The woman wore, was it blue, or maybe green? Her hair had been long, or had it really been short?

She shook her head, trying to free the thoughts.

"What should I do?" She asked, not really knowing if the nun would respond, but hoping she'd be given a straight answer.

The orange cloth of their robes appeared in the corner of her vision. The nun knelt gently next to her, hands clasping together.

"You can not stay here."

She gritted her teeth.

"He told me I have to chose, but how do I make that choice?! I don't know where I'm from! You all say I do not belong in this world, but this is all I know!" Her shoulders sagged. "And I don't know if I _want_ to leave."

The woman leaned forward, bowing her head lightly, eyes sliding closed.

She studied them, taking in her weathered and aged skin, not entirely unlike that of Yubaba. But this woman was kind, and she felt comfortable in her presence.

"You can not stay here, but you can not return to the human plane."

The woman's words took a moment to penetrate her brain, to process.

She slouched out of her kneeling position, bracing her body on her good arm.

"Why not?" She sighed.

Of course it would be one more thing.

The nun opened her eyes to meet Suzume's.

"Your soul is not whole. You are missing a piece of yourself. You can not move on without."

She shook her head, brows drawn tight in confusion.

"Missing...how... But I'm all right here... How can a piece of me be _missing_? I think I would know if a piece of my body wasn't where it should be..."

This didn't make sense.

She was all right here.

"What is your name?" The woman's question stopped her short.

That was a stupid question.

How wouldn't she know her name?

"My name? My name is... my name... my name... what's my name..." There was just a hollow space within her mind.

Nothing came forward, nothing seemed remotely plausible.

What was her name?

She looked at the nun in shock, biting her lip, feeling her eyes prickling with tears.

The woman seemed to pity her, because, with a frown, she answered her.

"You introduced yourself as a 'Su-zu-me'..."

She felt a flood of warmth slide down her bones.

Her name was Suzume! How could she have forgotten!

She felt like an idiot!

She hadn't spoke to much of anyone in the past few weeks, perhaps she could forgive herself this transgression.

Images of Emi and Kate, and the moist kitchens, and pristine floors of the Inn, flashed one by one in her mind, filing themselves away into her brain.

She felt a little heavier, like her body was filled with a weight that hadn't been there prior.

"...But that is **not** your name."

Her moment of elation halted.

She chewed her lip, waiting for the woman to continue.

"That is a false name; it is a name you have assumed because yours is missing. Returning home lies with your true name. Find it and you will find where you belong."

She closed her eyes, trying to think back to when she received this 'false name'. She could barely recall Kōsen calling her 'name', ordering her to work.

In an instant, she knew she was alone, that the presence of Bhikkhuni Dhammananda was gone.

She didn't want to face the lonesome room so she kept her eyes closed and thought about the conversation she'd just had.

With one option, returning to the human world, suddenly off the table, she grimaced. She hadn't realized how much she might have wanted to take that route.

But where would that have put her?

Her name was missing.

Would anyone know who she was in the human world?

Was she missed?

An ache developed deep in her chest.

The only person who said they knew her name, was Haku.

He was the key.

She needed to find him.

But how?

Could she call to him?

No. She'd tried how many times, but he was no longer within her mind. She no longer dreamed of him. In fact, he was nearly an after thought these past days.

The past few days had gone by and not once had she thought of him.

"What's happening to me?"

* * *

"Are you going to hide in the grasses like a cub all day?" She wasn't really surprised he'd located her.

She'd avoided him since his return, hours ago.

The morning had been spent circumnavigating his body. Whenever he moved, she moved in response. She thought she'd been doing a good job of staying hidden.

Apparently not.

She stood with a huff, glaring at him.

His hands were shoved carelessly into his sleeves, and he regarded her cautiously.

"Well, did ya' make a ch-" He asked. She cut him off.

"I have to find my name."

His eyebrow slowly raised, as he nodded carefully.

"Okay..."

She shrugged, then looked away, gripping some of the smaller pieces of grass with her dirty toes.

"I need to find Haku." He nodded once more.

She shivered, wrapping her good hand across her chest to rub some of the chill away.

"Come with me. I've got something for ya'."

Without waiting for her, he turned and sprung up the few steps of the temple, disappearing inside in mere seconds.

She didn't give much thought as she scurried after him.

Inside, it was cooler, the stones of the building holding on to the chill much longer than the dirt.

Phu was leaned against a wall, a small wrapped parcel at his feet.

She nervously approached, eyeing him wearily.

He toed what turned out to be two wrapped items closer to her.

Without taking her eyes from him, she reached down to pick up the first.

It was wrapped plainly in cheap linen with a piece of twine holding it together, but felt heavy in her hands.

She couldn't hold it with both hands, so she dropped to her bottom and balanced the item on her knee, working at the knot with her good hand.

The cheap dingy linen fell away from a sturdy dark material.

It took her a moment to long to identify what it was because Phu spoke up.

"It's a cloak. It'll keep most of the chill off, and some snow perhaps. Nothing grand, but it'll get ya' through the winter." His gravely voice rumbled in her belly.

She was awestruck.

She'd never been given something, so, _nice._

It was fur of some type on the inside, soft and warm.

The outside was firm and darker, a stained fabric.

She gathered the whole thing in her lap, rubbing the soft inside to her cheek.

Then her eyes spied the second package, and she swallowed nervously, anticipation building.

The string came loose quickly, and fell away to reveal a low heeled pair of boots, dark as the outer side of the cloak.

With a gasp, she reached for one, shoving her foot inside, eager to have her toes shielded from any more rocks or brambles.

They were a bit loose, her foot sliding, but nothing that couldn't be fixed by stuffing the toe with some of the linen wrapping.

Once both short boots were on, she hauled herself up, and attempted to tie the cloak around her throat.

The heavy garment slipped off her shoulders again and again.

Phu stepped closer, securing the material in a tight fist, allowing her to tie the ribbons quickly.

Then, he stepped back and exhaled noisily, as if he'd been holding his breath.

She didn't care.

Let him do whatever it is he wanted.

She just wanted to revel in the feel of her new things.

The cloak was a bit too short, her lower calves showing through, and a bit chewed up on the edges by gods knew what; but it was _hers_ and she loved it.

It _was_ hers, right?

A sudden thought struck her, and she halted her slow spinning.

She regarded the male spirit with a frown.

"What's the catch?" She murmured.

He leaned back against the wall, crossing his arms.

"No catch. Yur' my charge for now, can't verawell let ya' freeze on my land." He replied gruffly.

She cocked her head, unsure how to thank him.

Every thing came with a price.

"How did you know I was going to stay in this world?" She asked lightly, passing the fabric between her fingers, thinking how much it would suck to have to give it back.

This time, he grinned, canines bared.

"Cause yur' a human; most stubborn ass creatures I ever did meet."

A bark of laughter forced its way from her, startling both of them.

She clapped her good hand over her mouth, scared the sound might happen again.

When nothing forced its way out of her, she removed it and offered a timid 'thank you'.

He turned, hands back in his sleeves, and sauntered out the nearest opening.

She did know whether to take that as a good thing, or not.

Shaking her head, she pressed the cloak to her face again, wrinkling her nose against the tickle of the fur.

With a sigh, and a smile, she walked back out into the front field, content to sit in the sunlight on the front steps.

Phu was no where to be seen.

Not that it mattered any, really.

* * *

Review please. Thank you!


	24. Chapter 24

Ta-da!

So I must admit, I rather enjoyed writing the ending. Now I just need to connect where this story is currently, to that ending.

This, I feel like, is going to be harder than I think, mostly because it needs to make sense. I'd rather be like 'oh, Haku saves the day with his all powerfulness, and they live HAA!' but I don't think that gives Chihiro enough justice, or my OCs, who I've admittedly grown semi attached to. No spin offs intended, but I do want things to be mostly neatly wrapped up in a bow by the end.

Thank you for your reviews, I appreciate the well wishes.

I'm going to try and make the chapters as long as reasonably possible.

The sooner I can slug through, the sooner I can get to the good parts.

I'm excited for a few scenes I've written, and I just want to post them already, but I don't know if they are even going to make the cut.

Maybe after this is all said and done (and bow wearing), I'll post some deleted scenes. Maybe not.

Anywho, I haven't posted a disclaimer in quite a while, so...

None of the rights belong to me, I'm just borrowing (the world mostly, as I've deviated pretty far from the original at this point), and of course, the artwork belongs to Abbey Diamond. Check her other drawings and paintings, buy them if you love them, support artists!

Enjoy.

* * *

Chapter 24

She gave the temple one last long look over. She might never see the place again. This place had offered refuge from the storm she had found herself in; had given her time, to heal, to process, to forget.

She might never find some place so calm, at such peace.

Just stepping over the barrier spell returned the weight of the world to her shoulders. Her wound burned a bit stronger, her stomach growled a bit louder, and her legs felt that much weaker.

But she knew in her heart that she could not stay, she _needed_ to know now.

Who was she?

What was her name?

The resolve to find some damn answers instead of more questions was so strong, it overwhelmed her a bit.

She didn't even know where to start, where to look.

Phu had suggested she get to the nearest city. She might be able to get on a train, she had one ticket left after all, even though it was nearly eligible and worn.

With a deep breath, she pulled herself from the temptation of slipping past the barrier, and turned her back on the temple. She followed the newly laid brick path that already had weeds growing around it.

She had her boots on, cloak draped off of one shoulder, and her wounded arm tucked in close to her body.

Her little pack was tied to her thin waist, packed with her sad little ticket, the tiny jar of ointment, still nearly filled, the empty bottle of pain reliever, and the small bag of coin.

The sun had only been up for a little while, it's rays still weak in the sky, and she found herself cast in darkness for most of the day.

The trees and tall grasses around her did well to keep her hidden, but they also kept hidden any dangers ; such as, she nearly went head over heels, for what seemed like the dozenth time, her boot catching on a root.

With a huff, she righted herself, and wiped some sweat from her face.

This was harder than she thought it might be.

She was tired, and most of all, hungry.

Her stomach made it very clear that it had been neglected.

She felt shaky and weak, her legs throbbing in time with her pulse.

But it had only been a few hours, no time to stop. And no place either.

So onward she went, in search of some place to rest, a clearing would do well, one where she could see where her feet were going.

It seemed like forever until she reached a clearing, trees low over head providing ample shade around the edges. In the center lay a tiny open field bursting with sun and wild flowers.

A childish part of her wanted to run through the field and pick as many flowers as her hands could hold, to bathe in the sunlight and dirt.

The grown, worn part of her reminded her of her aching arm, and sweaty face, her tired legs and the fact that she had no idea where she was going.

With a sigh, she slumped against a tree trunk.

"What to do, what to do."

Why couldn't things be easy?

She shrugged her cloak over her head, then sat on it while she tugged her boots and small pack off.

She'd had to roll her pants at the waist when she started her trek, they just kept falling off her slim hips. She slowly stretched both arms out in front of her, raising them over her head until her back popped.

With the added weight off her shoulders, and the sweat wiped from her face, she stepped slowly back out into the sun, into the flowers.

The dirt beneath her toes felt comforting; dry and loose, but a part of the earth. She had spent countless amount of time with her feet in the dirt since the fire. Boots were nice, but the dirt, the dirt was godly.

She closed her eyes, fingers tickled by the gentle wave of wild flowers. Inhaling as deep as her lungs would allow, locking that air into body, feeling it in every muscle, every fiber.

Her mind was blank, all she sought to think about was the slight breeze that weaved its way through her loose hair, cooling the sweat on the nape of her neck.

She wanted, with all her might, for emerald green eyes to flash in her head.

It would make things so simple, if he could find her. He had on multiple occasions said he was coming to get her, knew where she was but was unable to reach her, could _see_ her.

He had come to the temple. She was sure it had been him. Who else could it have been?

It _had_ been him, right?

The light was blinding to her eyes, causing thin tears to escape her lashes. She picked the nearest flowers, clutching them in her bad hand, crushing the stems a bit, then rushed back to the shade.

The shade was a relief she hadn't realized she missed as much as she did. She had been blind in the sunlight, but in the shade, she could see so much more.

There were shadows that hid little secrets, sure, but at least she could see those shadows.

With a sigh, she turned back to her things.

Only, her things were not there.

She spun, she must have gone to the wrong tree.

The flowers fell as she frantically searched every nook and cranny, every tree and root.

Everything had been right here!

Tears of fear and frustration sprung forth, and she rubbed her face hard, but she couldn't stop them.

She sat herself against the tree she was so sure she'd placed her things against, and stared out into the field, willing for her things to appear, willing the tears to end.

That was silly, of course, but it didn't stop her from wanting it.

She sat with her face buried in her knees, feeling the chill of the setting sun, the tears stalling.

"What'cha sittin' around for?"

Startled by the sudden voice, she looked up, confused at first by the speaker.

But then her brain caught up, and she was standing as fast as her legs could manage, tears already leaking from her eyes.

Despite the pain in her arm, and the ache in her stomach, she latched on to Phu's forearm, turning her face up into his.

She watched his nostrils flare and his eyes dilate.

The words she wanted to say wouldn't come out of her mouth, half way between not wanting to admit she'd lost the gifts she'd been given, and having to ask him for help.

Her tongue stumbled over her words and she licked her lips over and over, tasting the salt from her tears.

"I...they were here... I swear! I don't... please...I'm sorry..."

Nervousness welled in the pit of her stomach, causing a fluttery feeling. Her hunger was all but forgotten.

His hands clamped tight around her upper arms and her stammering died in her throat. She should expect to be hit, to be punished.

How could have been so careless!?

She closed her eyes, trying to steady her bottom lip as it trembled, preparing herself for whatever was to come.

Her tears were hot on her cheeks.

He guided her backwards until her heels bumped the base of the tree, then he removed his hands.

"Stay hur'." He growled.

She peaked one eye open to see him sauntering off across the now darkening field.

She blinked, and when she opened both eyes, her legs gave out and she thumped to her bottom.

The retreating back of the huge man was no more.

In his place was the frightening view of black stripes on a body of orange; a massive feline stalking through the field of flowers.

The flowers were nearly taller than he was on all fours, only the tip of his tail and the top of his head were clearly visible.

But she did not have to be told twice that this creature could down her in one instance.

She gulped.

She wanted to cover her eyes, to hide, be gone if and when he came back.

Instead, her eyes stayed locked on to the last place she saw him form, imagining every sort of scenario that ended with him killing her.

She felt like her breath barely made it to her lungs, and her head spun a little.

She must have dozed off, the sky was inky black and her bottom hurt, and she was cold. But something had woken her. Her senses were going off like fire sparks, warning her.

She looked to her left and was shocked to see Phu, the man, standing not three feet from her. He dropped her things at her feet, as well as a pile of sticks he carried in his other arm.

She grabbed what she could up, holding it to her body as if it would provide some defense.

He glanced at her briefly before squatting down to lay the sticks out for a proper fire.

"Check, make sur' evera'thin' is there." He growled after a moment's hesitation.

With a quick nod, she did as told.

Everything was there, right down to the creases in the sad ticket.

She wanted to thank him.

She _should_ thank him.

She couldn't find the bravery.

"Hav' ya' eaten?" She hadn't been expecting his gruff voice, her mouth opened and closed like a fish before she just shook her head 'no'.

He did nothing to prove that he'd been expecting any different of an answer, or that her speechlessness bothered him all that much.

She silently watched him work as he skinned whatever animal it was that he'd hunted.

She didn't want to think about him hunting.

After pulling the cloak around her shivering self, she wasn't sure what to do or say. Should she offer to help? Did she owe him more than she already did? _What_ did she owe him?

Again, he sensed her hesitation and broken the tense silence.

"Ya' got to stand up fur' yur' self. Don't let anyone push ya' around. There ain't always gonna be someone to help ya'." He said loudly with a frown, giving her a serious look. "And don't go fallin' asleep out in tha' open. This is my land, so nothin' here will do you any genuine harm, but the world is a dangerous place." He grumbled, flipping the animal carcass deftly over with two fingers.

She bit her lip, watching idly as the animal cooked.

He growled and moaned a bit more, but she honestly wasn't listening.

She hadn't eaten all day, and her stomach was tired of taking back burner.

Her face felt stiff from all the crying, and she feared it might get stuck in one position as she tore into the small limb of the animal.

It didn't matter what animal this had been, it didn't matter how he killed it, in fact, it didn't matter that she hadn't eaten meat in who knew how long and that she would likely suffer in a few hours for it.

All she cared about right now was getting the food into her mouth.

"Chew ya' beast, or y'll choke." He laughed gruffly, sitting back on his haunches.

It didn't matter that Phu was watching her half amused or that he hadn't laid hands on the food at all.

More for her.

"It's not goin' anywhere..." He said quietly.

She slowed at the reminder, chewing a bit more thoroughly. The meat was mostly tough, but it was something.

"Ya' haven't said two words since I came back, cat got yur' tongue?" He grumbled, lounging on his side, his eyes closed.

The small fire lay between them, her back still to the tree.

It made her feel safer.

She cradled her arms against her stomach, all the action in the day was catching up to her. The wrap Phu had given her was wearing through on some parts, and it needed a washing.

"I saw you." She said after some time. He didn't move, but his eyes slid open slowly, pinning her to the spot. She swallowed hard. "The _real_ you..." She whispered, not sure what she was scared of at this point.

He never moved, made no indication that he heard her, or that he cared.

She nibbled her lip.

"It is unlike a human ta' see a spirit's true form. Can ya' be sure ya' saw what ya' think ya' saw?" He asked nonchalantly.

She shrugged.

"I've seen a fire bird," He sat up slowly. "a demon, a dragon and the Naga, I've seen him. And...I've seen a tiger, I've seen you."

His arms rested on his knees.

"The Naga chooses to show evera'one his form, and the dragon, I get the feelin' he ain't shy about what he is, most dragons aren't." His head rolled from one side to the other, regarding her calming. "That firebird, there aren't many of them, and they tend to burn themselves up real quick; I take it that's what that burn is from." He gestured to her arm. "Ya' mess with the wrong magic and it'll eat ya' from tha' inside out." A shiver raced down her spine. He gave her a direct look, his bright eyes piercing in the darkness, the flame flickering in them.

"Now, that demon, ya' bring another demon on my land, and I'll run ya' through myself. Ya' got no business with the likes of them. Nuthin' but bad news, unless ya' got a good witch with a tight hold on it, and lemme tell ya' sumthin' right now, there aren't **any** good witches." He barked. She tugged her cloak around herself tighter.

She had half a mind to mention Yubaba, but then couldn't decide if the witch _was_ good. She'd certainly never done anything bad she could recall.

He took her silence for acceptance as he continued.

"Now, go ta' sleep. We've got a long day tomorrow, and yur' stomach won't be any better for wear in tha' mornin'."

She huddled down into her cloak, lured into a calm mind by the low crackle of the flames.

* * *

Her eyes blinked open.

She couldn't tell what had woken her.

A sound perhaps?

The fire was out, the ashes damp, but cold beads of sweat dripped into her eyes.

It wasn't fear that curled in her stomach though, but rather sickness.

Her stomach cramped terribly.

She doubled over, gritting her teeth against the pain.

Her breath wheezed out of her lungs, her mouth pooled with saliva. She grasped at her stomach, not sure what was happening.

She suffered through cramp after cramp, the time between nearly as bad, anticipating the horrendous pain that was to return.

Scuffling around in the dirt, she didn't know what she was looking for. She just knew she needed to find some way to ease the agony.

A coarse hand palmed her face, forcing her jaw open, stuffing rough leaves into her mouth.

"Chew." The strict command echoed around her. Her jaw moved rhythmically, giving her something to focus on.

The bitterness of the plant didn't seem to help any as she fought with herself not to spit it, the only thing keeping her from doing so was a palm across her mouth.

She was in for a hell of a night.

* * *

That darn mystery meat, huh? Review, please and thank you.


	25. Chapter 25

Happy Halloween and Blessed Samhain!

So this came a bit slow at first, but I had to cut myself off by the time I got to the end. Safe to say the next (two) chapters have already been written.

Thank you all for reading, and for the reviews.

This story has gotten more followers/favorites in the past two weeks than the rest of the time, so I can only hope that bodes well.

Enjoy!

* * *

The man before her was no man really. She leaned away, shielding herself behind Phu's large body.

The tiger seemed to have no qualms about getting into the creature's space.

It was a shadow mostly, with blazing fires burning in it's eye holes. It had the shape of a man, but it looked like smoke contained in a clear shell, shifting and folding in on itself.

"I need a fayva'." Phu grumbled, gripping her tightly by her good arm. He hauled her around his body, pulling her from any safety his form could have afford, thrusting her forward towards the man... thing...

It smoothly moved around the counter it had been standing behind, and it's eye holes locked on her, studying her up and down.

It peered curiously at the tiger, tilting it's head.

"You do not risk my request for a mere girl, a _human_ no less, do you Phu?" A chill raced down her back, the hairs raising on her neck.

When the man creature spoke, it's mouth, or rather, where it's mouth should have been, stretched outward like a seeping bubble, before collapsing back on itself.

She felt the heat and sharp choking smell of sulfur.

Eying Phu, she wondered if he knew what he was doing. It was an effort to calm her body so that she didn't turn tail and leave.

Phu didn't answer, but he didn't have to. The creature's stare never broke from the tiger, but it's arm extended, guiding the way to an empty chair against a far wall. Phu urged her on, but her feet felt glued to where she stood.

He had to drag her, forcing her down.

She didn't know what she expected when the creature touched her, but she certainly didn't expect the feather light touches it used to fold her arm out and unwrap what was left of the bandage.

The thing had quickly deteriorated over the three days it took them to get to the city, and now it was in mostly shreds.

As it came away from the skin, it stuck in several places, earning a rough hiss from her.

The wound looked terrible.

It had turned white in some places, black in others; it was still a bit raw and clear fluid seeped from the agitated cracks.

The man thing made a clicking noise with it's mouth.

"You should have come sooner." It toned. She grimaced, trying to see if there was any sign of life in the fire of it's eye holes.

"Am I going to lose the arm?" She didn't want to know, but she needed to know. She tried to ignore the sulfur smell as it swirled around her face.

The creature gave her a direct look, staring straight at her with it's unblinking fire eyes.

"No." It seemed to gauge her reaction. She exhaled a breath she didn't realize she was holding in. "However, the scarring will be extensive."

She deflated against the back of the chair.

"I can live with scarring..." She sighed. She felt her muscles tighten as the creature's grip turned heavy. She could then feel the heat the radiated through it's hand to her arm.

"Can you?" It replied.

It didn't wait for an answer; instead it drifted off to a far cabinet, pulling some herbs and grinding them down on a mortar.

Phu slouched next to her, leaning against the wall.

"Not the best bedside manna', but if anyone can heal ya', it'll be him."

"It won't be pleasant, and it'll take a few sessions to clear up the worst of it. A brush with fire magic, not something someone often recovers from..."

The creature leveled her with a direct stare, it's movements never pausing.

"Who'd you piss off?" She waited to see if it would move on with the conversation; waited to see if it really wanted an answer.

She was mildly perturbed when she noticed Phu's intense stare aswell.

She pursed her lips.

"There was a fire, at the Inn I worked at..." She murmured. The creature tossed it's head around, and threw something liquid into it's herbs.

"This burn isn't from just any fire; like I said _fire magic_. It's a living thing, it'll eat away at you if it isn't killed. We'll have to see if it's taken root somewhere else in your body..."

The idea that something would _root_ into her body, live off her flesh, it was enough to make her queasy.

The creature moved back around to her, touching her arm lightly again, bring it close to it's shadowy face. It's eyes burned bright, and she clenched her jaw against the sudden pain.

She watched in agony as her burn rekindled, the skin being scorched away from the inside, as if there were embers buried in her arm.

Thankfully, her arm was going numb, so she didn't suffer through much more of the intense agony. Her skin flaked, and cracked. The smell was down right wretched, and she couldn't stop her stomach from rising into her throat, and then on to the floor.

The creature didn't seem bothered at all by the fact that she'd just puked on it, and only stepped away once all of the healed flesh was gone.

She was shaking.

All of the weeks of healing, wasted.

Her body didn't know how to respond.

"Interesting. The flame still lives here," It jammed a smokey finger into her wound, and she launched from the chair with a scream. The creature kept a vice like grip on her arm, wrenching it as she moved.

Phu yanked her back down into the chair, but he too looked alarmed, the fur on his neck and jaw puffed up and quivering.

The creature began stuffing the finger hole with his poultice, a spicy smelling brown paste. It burned as much as she thought it would.

It then placed it's hand over the wound, and melted the hole closed. She wasn't sure what she was smelling any more, or what she was feeling. Had it used magic, or it's own body heat to burn her?

Was it going to leave the nasty paste inside of her?

Was that it, was she cured?

She wondered about the numb that was once again setting in, she couldn't even feel the bandage that was being tightly wrapped, or the seemingly cool again fingers that brushed her skin.

"I will need to check the wound every few hours. Where are you staying?"

She was too wound up to even understand what it was saying, let alone give an appropriate answer.

Phu didn't have an answer either, apparent by his tense silence.

The creature leveled a look at the tiger spirit.

"Did we not think this through all that much?" Again, it didn't wait for Phu to respond. It turned quickly, marching soundlessly up a set of stairs.

It turned back to them as they watched it go, motioning them forward.

"Are you going to follow, or not?"

* * *

"The room isn't much, but it is all I have to offer." At least it was being honest.

It was more of a broom closet than a bedroom. If she stretched her arms out sideways, she could just about touch the far walls.

She shuffled in, noticing the blankets folded in the corner. They would probably take up the entire floor space.

She dropped her rucksack in the opposite corner, turning back towards the single door.

Phu stood awkwardly there, and she realized he was hunched down, the ceiling was much lower than she thought.

His big body made her feel claustrophobic. There was so little space in the room.

She studied the floor and her aching feet.

Phu stepped back out of the room.

"I'll be outside if ya' need me..." He gruffed.

The sudden thought that she'd be alone in this place, with this creature she did not trust, had her reaching for her traveling companion.

"Please don't leave me alone..." She whispered. His whole body froze up and she feared he'd shake her off.

Instead, he pushed her back against the far wall, and reached for the blankets.

She tried to make herself as small as possible, practically standing on her small bag in the far corner as the male spirit haphazardly laid the blankets out.

She noticed he folded them all in half, so that they only took up half of the floor space, room enough for only one person to lay down.

He then turned his back on her, shutting the door, and pulling his shirt over his head.

She blushed, averting her eyes.

It seemed inappropriate to be in such close confinement with the male, his heat almost overbearing in the small room.

She opened her mouth to question where she should sleep, but he gave her the silent answer as he laid down on the bare floor, his back still to her, and cushioned his head on his arm.

The room had been cast into near total darkness when the door had been closed, for which she was currently grateful.

She wanted to rinse her face, and her body, but that didn't seem possible, so she just rubbed her face on a clean corner of her shirt, and tried to quietly lay down, her back pressed against the wall, putting as much distance between them as possible.

But she couldn't sleep.

Whether it be from her hurting arm or the unfamiliar feelings of enticement, she lay awake for a long while.

Their trek to the city had been an uneventful one. She was weak from the sickness, brought on by her limited diet most likely.

The tiger had been agitated with her the last two days, pacing anxiously every time she stopped to rest. She could feel his irritation; he was kind enough not to say anything, but not so kind as to lessen the pace.

It was almost a third day when they finally broke the city lights, a trip that should have, according to Phu, taken them no more than a day, only a few hours if he'd been by himself.

She had to curb her snarky remarks, recognizing the favor he was giving her, trying to remind herself that he was helping.

Her exasperation was at it's peak by the time Phu had stopped at the healer's door.

Now though, now she felt different.

Maybe it was because she could see the effort he made to get her here quickly, to get her help. She recognized that he _had_ looked after despite her belly aching, making sure to stop for water plenty of times, and hunting for food at least once a day.

She'd never been so well cared for in many, many weeks.

And, he was placing himself in debt of this fire creature, for her sake.

That definitely placed an endearing quality to him that she might not have noticed before.

He cared, truly.

Lying not a foot from the well muscled, half naked male, in the dark, definitely might have a factor in her affections.

She could studiously avoid any inclination that she found the male attractive, but she was not blind to that fact that whenever he had to make physical contact with her, he did not seem to enjoy it.

She could see in her head; his eyes dilating, his posture stiff, his breathing ragged or absent. And then there would be silence for a long time after words.

Granted, he was not much of a talker, but she could definitely tell when he was avoiding conversation.

She knew she was a pitiful excuse for a girl, thin and gangly, rough skin and matted hair. Her clothes were bound worn, and her skin was darkened by all the time in the sun.

She had no right to judge _his_ or any other males, lack of affection. She was no more than an eye sore, especially with her wounded arm, and the Naga bite.

She wasn't stupid, but that didn't stop the small jolt of jealously when she had seen some ladies walking about the main street.

She was just a silly girl.

"You've got more important things to think about Suzume, than if a spirit fancies you or not..." She sighed, turning over to face the wall.

She closed her eyes, willing herself to sleep. She tried not to think about Emi, and Kate, and Haku. But of course she immediately felt embarrassed.

Was she just attracted to any male?

"Goodness, you are a strumpet, now aren't you?" She hissed at herself, pressing a hand over her eyes, trying to wipe the images in her brain away.

* * *

Her brain stayed on. She was still awake when the door opened, and Phu sat up.

The creature entered slowly, wearily moving around the groggy tiger.

It knelt next to her, grasping her throbbing arm tightly, cutting through the bandages with a small thin blade.

Her arm looked...disgusting...

She felt her stomach heave, the sight alone enough to make her sick.

The smell was something entirely different, she couldn't even describe it.

She watched as Phu wrinkled his nose up, breathing through his mouth, feeling some pity for him. She was sure his heightened sense of smell was as much a curse now as a blessing other times.

Her wound was pure white and cakey looking, rising several inches from where her skin truly was. It was tinged yellow around the edges, and in the center, where the creature had stuffed a hole full of a poultice, it was distended and black. It looked as if the skin was about to burst.

The entire thing throbbed, almost visibly. The creature looked at Phu, it's eye holes faint and burning low.

"I would sit on her, this is going to hurt..." Suzume's eyes widened, shooting to study the still shirtless Phu.

He growled low in his throat.

"I'm not gonna sit on her! She'll probably break a bone, or sumthin'." He grumbled, looking away. She wanted to roll her eyes.

With his size, he probably could break something in her if he sat on her, but he didn't have to say it like that. She glared at the creature.

"It's fine, he just doesn't like touching me. I won't move." Phu huffed immediately at her words.

"Who said I neva' liked touchin' ya'?" He growled, glowering at her. She couldn't make eye contact, shrugging her shoulders.

"No one had to say it, your actions are loud enough..." She couldn't decide if she was more shaken at confronting the powerful male, or the sight of her arm.

The smoke creature glanced back and forth between the two of them, his eye holes moving rapidly.

Phu pressed a heavy hand on her shoulder, pinning her to her spot. He brought his face up close, the fur on his jaw tickling her.

"Don't go assumin' anythin' unless it comes directly out ma' mouth, ya' got that?" He hissed, his pupils tiny little pinpricks in his eyes, nostrils flaring.

She just held his stare, surprisingly not cowed by his show of dominance.

One slow blink later, and he had sat back on his haunches, glaring at the floor.

The heavy weight on her shoulder still prevailed and the creature did not wait any longer.

It sliced the wound from one end to the other, and squeezed everything out of it.

It wasn't exactly painful, unpleasant more fitting. She heaved at the smell, and tried to stare at the ceiling.

Clump after clump, wiped away by a small cloth that moved on it's own. Each time the creature pressed down on her arm, it became more and more racking.

"Ah, blood, finally..." The creature cooed. Startled, she looked down. Blood was steadily dripping from the wound now.

"What are you trying to achieve...?" She managed to choke out. The smoke man glanced at her, it's hands stopping.

"Someone tried to save your life, they dumped a substance into the wound, a sand like substance. It should have killed the fire magic, but I can only assume it was washed away before it could take a full affect..." He studied her, watching her face.

Suzume recalled Tuskete, her sweaty, dirty face peering at her through the smoke of the burning House. The old woman _had_ doused her arm in something, it had put out the flames that were eating her arm up. But, washed away?

She frowned, trying to recall what could have possibly washed away the sand.

The brushed of black scaled in her head gave the clue, and her eyes popped open.

"The Naga!" She looked at the bewildered faces of Phu and the smoke man.

"He, it, _whatever_! He dumped me in the water, pushed me, I saw these little blue lights, they came from my arm, he ate one!" The creature shrugged, returning it's attention back to her arm.

"Whatever the reason, the sand has only kept the fire dormant, it needs to be removed before the fire can be extracted." The eye holes glanced up at her. "This injury will only get more painful before it can get better..." She gulped, clenching her jaw.

Looking over her wound, she thought idly that it already did look better than it had minutes prior.

"Whatever you need to do..." She said, nodding her head.

The creature tried to form a smile, a gruesome sight, then patted her on the cheek.

"A brave girl." It nodded at Phu. "Well worth the favor."

* * *

That's it for another week. See you Friday! Review! I know how many of you are reading, the benefits of stats. Let me know what's good, what's bad, what doesn't make sense.

Thank you.


	26. Chapter 26

These keep getting longer. Sorry if you aren't a fan of the longer chapters, but I trying to beat myself to the finish line. Moving along.

So I guess lat chapter was not a favorite. I jinxed myself. Haha. I compliment on there being so many reviews/favorites/alerts, and then the chapter gets next to nothing. Haha. Although, a few more followers, welcome!

Anyhow, enjoy.

Thank you for reading.

* * *

The smoke man had come every two to three hours, at times only looking her arm over before re bandaging, other times doing some type of terrible thing to it that made her rethink the possibility of removing the arm entirely.

She didn't know what time it was, whether the sun was up or not. All she knew was that she was exhausted. Her muscles trembled, her arm throbbed, and her eyes burned.

The small room was a mess, the blankets were bunched up, her rucksack was half emptied, and there was a mixture of blood, puss and water staining the floor.

Between the miscellaneous liquids, the smell of sweat and body odor that hung heavy in the room, should couldn't tell what she was smelling.

She was only mildly interested when a faceless woman entered, gathering the linens, pulling her soiled clothes from her rather pliant body, and tossing hot water on the stains on the floor.

She was slumped against a wall, watching as the literal faceless woman scrubbed the floor, tossing the brush hard into a bucket when she was finished.

She left the bucket there, gripped Suzume by both arms, and tried to hoist her up. Suzume had no interest in going anywhere, and didn't particularly take to being man handled, so she dropped her weight, and made no effort to help.

The woman didn't complain, only tried once more; when she did not receive her desired results, fetched the bucket and left the room.

Suzume sulked, laying naked on the soaking floor.

The door opened once more, and she was resolved to fight against the woman again.

"Tha' hell are ya' doin'?" She scrambled up so fast, she slipped on the water, knocking her elbows painfully onto the floor to ease her fall.

Phu grasped her by one arm, dangling her midair.

Once more, she was reminded how pretty much everyone was dangerously stronger than her.

Embarrassment flooded her face once she realized she was naked.

She tried to cover herself with one arm, not sure _what_ to cover.

The tiger rolled his eyes, holding her at a distance, letting her feet land softly on the floor as he strutted down a hall.

She tried not to look at him, tried to stare at her feet.

She couldn't bear to see the look on his face.

He took no time in dumping her into a tub of lukewarm water, leaving before she even resurfaced. She glanced to her right and saw the faceless lady standing there with her arms crossed, tapping her toes.

Suzume stuck her tongue out at her, shuffling lower into the water.

She didn't want to admit how restorative the bath felt.

She could smell the powerful stench of herbs in the water, and her arm was ignited in pain, but her body had stopped tremoring, and her head felt a little less heavy.

The smoke man let itself in, moving around the room as if she was not there.

The faceless lady had her seated on a low stool with a towel drapped around Suzume's shoulders as she tried to yank a comb through her hair.

She thought she heard what suspiciously sounded like shears, and a quick glance at the floor did indeed reveal clumps of frayed hair.

She wasn't sure how she felt about a woman with no eyes using shears by her head. She tried not to think about it.

The smoke creature was opalescent now, in the bright light of the wash room. She could practically see through it, watched in fascination as the smoke contained within it's body swirled and flowed by it's own current.

She was only mildly embarrassed that it caught her staring.

"I am not a spirit. An element purely, I have never had a form such as this, until I did some favors and a witch created this form for me." Suddenly it made sense.

She eyed him wearily.

"You're fire." She murmured. The creature shrugged, tugging gently on her arm.

"Not exactly, but it's a good enough description for you." It was silent as it studied her arm. "You are strong, your body is responding well." It said.

She laughed harshly.

"Strong is not the word I would use to describe _me_. Lucky, maybe; stupid, definitely." She just about shook her head, but then thought better of it with the faceless lady doing gods knew what to her hair.

The creature stood, retreating to a table in the corner which held bowls of varying sizes.

"Call it what you want, but let me say this. The body works in funny ways; had you ever truly given up, you would never have even made it to me." It's eye holes flared, as it roughly rubbed a bitter smelling grainy mixture all over her arm, from her finger tips to her shoulder.

"I can do nothing for that mark on your neck, that is beyond my knowledge. As long as you don't take fever, I see no reason why your burn should not be nearly mended in a few days." It rinsed it's hands in the still standing tub water, drying them on the towel around her shoulders.

"I will have my servant," It gestured to the faceless lady behind her. "Check to make sure the fire did not travel anywhere else. I would suggest some sleep after you are done here, the body needs time to repair."

* * *

When she returned to the small room, it was fresh; nothing like the room she had left only an hour or two prior. The linens were neatly laid out, and she couldn't wait to lay down.

She was just moments from sleep when the door opened.

She peeked an eye open, watching as Phu, in clothes that barely fit him, shuffled in.

She pretended to be asleep, watching him from under her lashes.

He laid down, facing her, with a fierce look on his face.

"Ya' aren't asleep." He grumbled. She rolled over.

"I'm trying to." She responded with a sigh.

"I don't hate ya'." He groused. She rolled her eyes, ignoring him.

"I am _devout_ to my people..." He continued. She rolled back over, glaring at him.

"I don't even know what that means. What does that mean? What does any of this mean?" She snapped.

He bared his teeth at the ceiling, loudly flipping on to his back.

"What ya' doin' messin' with the Naga anyway?!" He barked in response, crossing his arms over his chest. "No wonda' ya' got that nasty mark. He tainted you, didn't he? I can smell it on ya'!"

She flushed.

Never had she taken something as such an insult more than his words.

 _Tainted_.

She thumped back down, turning her back to him.

She laid like that, fuming, until sleep finally claimed her, but even then, her dreams were restless.

* * *

 _Tainted._

It rolled around in her head, minutes after minute, second after second. Is that why... no... she was done thinking about this.

She idly stared at her weak reflection in the glass of a store front. She could tell her long scruffy bangs had been smoothly blended back into the rest of her hair, and it was not the face she remembered seeing in the mirrors at the House.

She was thinner, more sharp cheek bones and forehead than she could ever recall. The faceless lady had done a sufficient enough job, some of the hairs still stuck out at odd angles, and some were much shorter than others, but who was she to complain?

Besides, she was _tainted_ anyway.

She felt her teeth protest their grinding, turning to march further down the street.

The night life was coming alive, and she clumsily moved out of the way of rushing spirits.

The plain kimono was on lend from a shop down a few doors from the smoke creature. It had been less expensive to have her measurements taken for a set of pants and tunic than it was to buy the ornately decorated ready to wear outfits. She had counted her remaining coins in misery, glaring at Phu when he offered to cover some of the cost.

No.

She would not ask him for help, not yet at least.

Her pride was sorely wounded, and her childish anger was still burning strong.

She knew he had not meant to say it, but that didn't mean he did not mean to think it.

She had already grudgingly forgiven him for his anger, but the meaning behind his words was dug in deep within her.

So for now, he got her cold shoulder, not that he really seemed to care.

Now her pocket was lighter, and her heart a bit heavier.

With a sigh, she slouched against a wall, watching idly as spirits went about their night. A beggar knelt quietly on the side of the road, with a few bits of paper tossed into his open bowl. He did not beseech anyone, nor did he seem to mind that he was in the way.

With a frown, she fished a rough copper coin from her tiny bag. Her coins had all been gold at one point, Kōsen had told her to never bother with the copper, return it to the giver or give it to the poor. He had no use for copper.

Funny how she had never thought twice about it, had automatically disposed of the rough coins, but now, her bag was mostly silver and copper.

She had one iron piece in there, but Phu had barked at her to put it away. She hadn't the will to ask him why.

Honestly, she couldn't even remember who had given her the iron piece, where it had come from.

He was tailing her, trying to give her space as she studiously ignored him.

She jogged across the street, narrowly avoiding being run down when she got stuck between two duck spirits. In a moment of panic, she glanced at where she'd last seen the tiger. He was watching her, no sign of concern on his broad whiskered face. She stumbled to the other side, kicking herself for being so dumb.

Before she lost her nerve, she leaned down and dropped two copper coins into the beggar's bowl, and darted off again.

She tried to get lost in the crowd, wanted to get away.

She needed to find Haku, she needed to find her name.

This was all just wasting time.

A flash of shiny green caught her attention.

She had seen that somewhere.

What had she seen?

She doubled back, looking for the flash of green.

There it was again, just out of her line of vision.

She whipped around, trying to catch it.

Where had she seen it before?

On a person.

Haku? No.

Kōsen? Definitely not.

She caught sight of it again, this time it stayed in one place.

It was a silk kimono.

Her eyes traveled over the figure, trying to piece together her fragmented memories.

" _Suzume, get on the train!_ "She was startled as the echo of a scream tore through her head, like she was hearing it through water.

And just like that, she remembered.

"Michi-ko!" She yelled, trying to grab the witch's attention to no avail.

She shoved her way through the crowds, putting her bony elbows to use, trying to keep the woman in sight.

When she was finally able to reach the witch, Michi-ko did a double take.

"Suzume!" She cried. And then a look of horror befell the woman.

It was hard not to take that without a grimace. She knew she didn't look great, but the woman's reaction definitely felt like a knife to the gut.

It was her the woman was looking at anymore though. Her head was twisting one way, then another, as if looking for someone.

"Suzume, you need to..." A shadow fell across her face and she suddenly straightened up, pinching her lips together.

Suzume watched in confusion as a male stood uncomfortably close to the witch, towering over the both of them.

He was cast in shade, the nearest lantern to his back.

"Who is this?" Hi voice was lighter than she was expecting, feathery soft, and breathy. He had hair cut low, and thin eyebrows, a straight nose and prominent chin.

And pale blue eyes, like the sky before the sunrise.

And a small burn, no bigger than her palm, that reached across his jaw to his right ear.

Michi-ko stared at her with wide, unblinking eyes, before slowly turning her face to the man.

"No one, just the daughter of a client." She said offhandedly, forcing a smile. Suzume wasn't the only one to see through the charade.

The man turned to face her, placing himself between Michi-ko and her bodies. His movements were stiff and not at all as fluid as she was used to seeing spirits move.

He glared down at her, but oddly enough, she wasn't intimidated. She felt a bit of anger that this man would be so obviously aggressive with someone he didn't know, but her stomach didn't quake in fear, her knees felt strong.

She was not afraid of this spirit, and _that_ scared her some.

She _should_ have been afraid. Did she just have so little care for her self worth anymore?

"Who are you?" He repeated, his tone icy.

She shrugged, feeling a bit daring.

"Who are you?" She mimicked.

He frowned.

She frowned.

He glanced at Michi-ko, she did as well.

She was holding her hands to her face, pressing her fingers to her mouth.

"Master Ame..." She hissed, as if begging.

And, just like that, the fear dropped heavy into her stomach, nearly driving her to her knees.

 _Ame._

She wanted to cover her face, and hide herself. Why, oh why, for the love of all the gods, did it have to be _this_ man she ran into.

This man that seemed to be the bane of Haku's existence. How many people used this man as a threat? The mere thought of him was enough to drive Haku to a foul mood.

She did _not_ want to get in the middle of this. She did _**NOT**_ want to give anyone any more leverage against Haku, not because of her!

Her teeth clamped closed.

His pale eyes were on her again.

She could feel him studying her, watching her every move, like a snake waiting to strike. She shuffled a half step back.

"You will answer me now." He replied, his breathy voice doing nothing to hide the dislike in his tone. "Who are you? How do you know this witch?" He voice got stronger and more solid the longer he spoke, before dying off into a whisper.

She shifted her eyes quickly to Michi-ko before closing them. The woman was shaking her head slowly, her wide eyes expression the message.

 _Don't say anything._

 _Lie._

 _Get away._

She took another half step backwards, sliding her bare feet along the smooth stone.

"I asked you a question woman." Her eyes flicked open, mildly stunned. She hardly considered herself a woman, despite being mostly full grown. She'd always been called a 'girl' by anyone she had met, but this awful man at least did her the justice of not calling her names.

She flinched away as the man reached for her, trying to stop her slow progress backwards.

Time stopped.

She could see the magic crackling between his finger tips.

Could see him reaching for her shoulder.

And from the corner of her vision, she could see the burst of black and gold that appeared from the darkness and crowds behind her.

With a shriek, she was knocked sideways, deafened by the roar that erupted practically next to her head.

Time jumped into double.

She was more awestruck at the beautiful beast that had become the man than afraid. Long, thin and silky looking, a serpent of some type.

She couldn't pin a color to him, somewhere between pearly and pink, with smooth white horns growing from his slender head.

Kate's training triggered, and she ducked under a coil as it came whipping towards her.

Both beasts were fierce and she struggled to get out of the way, lest she be crushed. The crowds parted like water, still moving around the brawl.

Only a few stopped to witness.

It was loud, both creatures exercising their lungs to their fullest extent. She didn't know where one voice ended and the next one began.

But the victor was soon apparent.

Phu, in all his glorious stripes and bristled fur, had the other man pinned in jut a matter of moments. Every muscle on his body was taunt and bulging, making it obvious his opponent had by no means willingly gone down, nor stayed.

The dragon, after a moment she realized that is what the man was, slammed his strong tail into the ground repeatedly, clearly expressing his displeasure.

He was far more injured, scaled ripped in patches from his smooth body.

Phu made it clear he would not move until the other was under control, flexing his powerful jaws around the throat of the dragon.

It was terrifying to see that nearly the whole neck of the dragon fit into the tiger's mouth. Surely her whole head would fit with room for some limbs.

And then she blinked, and the beasts were gone, replaced by their humanoid counter parts.

Michi-ko was helping Ame up, motioning with her eyes for Suzume to leave.

Phu was wiping his face on his arms, spiting blood onto the ground, and kicking some dirt on to it.

The two men glared at one another until Phu took her by the elbow, and hauled her off.

She childishly treated Ame to a sneer over the Tiger's shoulder when the dragon returned his stare to her.

She almost, _almost_ , wanted to stick her tongue out, but thought better of it. Phu may have won this round, but there was no knowing if this man would hold a grudge.

He did, after all, make Haku's life difficult. What was to stop him from making her's or Phu's life worse?

The dread was a strong taste in her mouth.

With a grimace, she focused on keeping up with the tiger's pace.

* * *

Ta-da! Review! Please and thank you!


	27. Chapter 27

But did you die? No, and again, neither did I. Merely moved, bought a house, changed jobs, and then got hit with a hurricane. My excuses seem legitimate to me. Haha. Anyhow, I have spent the time not so wastefully. I have nearly a dozen chapters written now, and they should come pretty consistently. I've also started a story for the Old Kingdom/Abhorsen trilogy (that isn't a trilogy anymore), but I haven't posted it as I want to get it completed before I post it. So anyhow, enjoy. Maybe go back and reread the last chapter to refresh?

* * *

"Stop pickin' fights with spirits stronga' than ya'" Her growled, stomping through the first floor of the smoke man's shop.

She followed slowly after him, head hanging.  
Maybe it was her fate, to attract trouble.  
She leaned against a counter, idly brushing away non-existent dust.  
"I don't need you telling me this, I know. I don't know why I always find trouble, why it always finds me..."  
He dropped noisily to a stool.  
"Ya' sur ya' don't need me tellin' ya'? Trouble da'nat find ya', seems to me ya' go lookin' for it!" He snapped, slamming his closed fist down on a near by table.  
She worried briefly that the wood would give, but it held under the tiger's ire.  
She held up her hands, closing her eyes, taking a deep breath.  
Losing her temper would do nothing.  
She should be grateful, should appreciate that he had defended her. There was no way she would have been able to go up against the dragon.  
"Thank you, for helping me... again..." She managed to mutter, ignoring the snort he gave. "I think I'm going to lay down."  
Why, oh why, had she thought she could survive without someone to protect her?  
Ascending the creaky steps as quick as she could, she closed herself into the tiny room, kicking at Phu's blankets with a frown.  
Her's were folded neatly in the corner.  
His lay scattered about the floor.  
She didn't want to be so dependent on another, didn't want to have to rely on the good will of strangers. The smoke man had put them up with a room and a meal a day, had mostly mended her wounds, and all he asked was for her to mind the shop when it was busy.  
Said her help gave him time to put more effort into his potions, made them stronger and more potent.  
"Quality over quantity. I'll earn more for a stronger effect."  
His wafty words echoed in her head.  
She didn't want to be the one to mention what would happen when she left, would his 'quality' sink? She laid her linens out, stretching out onto her side, back to the door.  
Why couldn't she defend herself?  
What was so special about her that powerful spirits were a dime a dozen? She felt like she ran into them more than an average spirit should. She pissed them off more than an average spirit would. Perhaps she was insolent?  
Stupid?  
Cursed?  
She didn't want much.  
She wanted to find out who she was, really, truly.  
What was her name? Where did she come from? Did she have family? Was someone missing her?  
Instead, she was cramped into a stifling small room with a reclusive tiger spirit. A spirit who she could not tell if he liked or hated her.  
A small part of her longed for the Inn, for the life she led before the fire. If she hadn't been so rebellious, she might still have been living rather comfortably. She wouldn't have had to face the Naga again, she wouldn't have been lost to fever, and badgered by quarrelsome spirits. If she had stayed to defend the Inn, where would she be?  
In the kitchen, preparing for the evenings services?  
With a rare night off, soaking in a spare tub, flanked by her few friends?  
Fighting off nasty remarks from jealous co-workers?  
A voice floated across her mind though, giving her the answer she didn't want to think about.  
Dead.  
She didn't want to think about death.  
When she thought about it, she thought about all the lives lost in the Inn, the bodies she stepped over, the blood that painted the floors and walls.  
She thought of Emi, Kate, even Tuskete, and felt tears sting her eyes. It had been some time since she wept for the loss of her friends.  
And Master Kōsen, had her former master fallen? What became of him?  
He had truly been a god send, had plucked her off the streets and gave her a purpose. She repaid him by abandoning him, his home, and business at the first signs of distress.  
Perhaps this was karma, or something divine, dishing out all she deserved.  
She hadn't dreamt of Haku in ages, hadn't spoken to him, or glimpsed his image through the watery visions that came at night.  
This was punishment.  
She was alone.  
She closed her eyes as the small door opened and Phu gracelessly ambled in.  
He shuffled around for a few moments, before settling down on his back.  
She could feel the atmosphere tremble, could feel her stomach clench, like she was waiting for the fight to begin again.  
It didn't take him long to speak.  
"I've been askin' 'round past few days. Not many folk want ta' talk, but flash enough coin, and someone's lip will loosen." He rumbled.  
Her eyes slowly opened, and she struggled to stay on her side, not sure if she wanted to hear what he had to say.  
"They say a wata' dragon lives not fa' from here. Powerful and solitary, not ta' be bothered." She sat up, feeling like her ears were pinned to the back of her head, listening to every breath he took, not wanting to miss a word.  
She glanced at him over her shoulder, noting how his arms cradled his head, his amber eyes stared fiercely at the ceiling. She could see the cords of muscles in his arms twitch and jump as if he was holding himself back.  
"Na' I don't know if it's tha' beast yur' lookin' fur', and ya' got to decide if ya' want to go lookin' for whateva' trouble this might be ta' ya'..." She was turning slowly, feeling like her throat was closing up. His eyes flashed to her, and his gruff voice continued. "But whateva' ya' decide, I'll see ya' through till the end..."

* * *

The room was strong smelling. The smoke man was grinding herbs, idly giving her directions to the ones he wanted.

After the third day, she was pretty quick at it, having started to recognize some of the colors or textures. He snapped at her when she laid down the wrong ingredients, and was silent if she was right.  
Her arm was still tender, her elbow stiff in the mornings, but by mid-day the kinks had been worked out and she hardly felt any irritation.  
"I understand you are on a search for something you have lost..."  
She was startled by the sudden question.  
The shop had cleared out finally and the Smoke man was cleaning its work space.  
She eyed it wearily.  
"Yes. I'm searching for someone..." She said. It peered directly at her, halting it's movements.  
"Someone?" It asked. She frowned, tossing the rag she had been using down.  
"Yes, someone. I can not find what I'm looking for on my own." The creature stood to it's full height, crossing it's arms.  
"Why not? What's stopping you?" After a quiet moment, and a tense stare off, the Smoke man turned away.  
"How do you know Phu?" She asked lightly, moving slowly around the room, finishing her wipe down.  
The Smoke man let his interrogation drop, choosing instead to answer her.  
"It is not a grand tale, we merely have crossed paths a few times, and found in one another an ally." It responded, sweeping some crumbs to the floor. She frowned, having just swept up a few moments prior.  
"How do you know Phu?" He repeated back to her. She pursed her lips, picking up her wet cloth again to resume her cleaning.  
"I...wandered... onto his land... after the fire. He was kind enough to lend me his help getting here." She murmured. She didn't have the energy to tell the whole story. Besides, she didn't think this creature cared.  
It turned away, and she thought the matter dropped.  
"The Ni~Tsu no nokori teishi is not all that close to the tiger's land, you must of have wandered for days..."  
She frozen, her arm half extended, her mouth pinched closed. She stared a hole into the floor, unable to bring her gaze back up to the flickering eye sockets of the man thing.  
Her heart thudded in quick time, making her head throb.  
When at last she could swallow, and take a breath, she glanced up, trying to read the emotionless face of the creature.  
"The city was flooded with workers from the Inn, trying to start over. They came in groups, bloating the streets with their numbers. Their contracts were burned up in the fire, and most were desperate for employment."  
Her throat was half closed, her eyes burning with un-shed tears, fear painting her vision.  
The man thing bowed his head briefly.  
"Many were lost before most of us could make sense of what the true issue was; more were lost when most refused to take the workers in. They were workers of a powerful man, a dangerous man. Few employers wanted to take the risk." The creature finished, giving her time to swallow around the lump in her throat.  
"They are killers, what was left of them no doubt. They deserved their fates." She croaked, staring down at her shaking hands. The Smoke man said nothing, but his silence was enough.  
She put her rag down and turned away, climbing the shaky stairs two at a time, needing to be away from this creature's penetrating stare.

* * *

After her conversation with the Smoke man, she found herself sitting and staring at a wall, thinking over her emotions. How could she have damned those workers who were lost? Did she know if they were truly killers? What if some of the staff had escaped before the general madness? What if the fire had driven them out before the killing?

But she knew better.  
She'd been there.  
She had seen the blood and the massacre. There had been few to survive that were not directly involved for the death of others.  
No. Those that had fled the Inn were surely the worst of them.  
A tiny light within her asked if perhaps Emi, or Kate, had gotten out. Maybe they had fled to the city, could not have gotten to the train station. There were a thousand scenarios playing through her head, and in each one, she blamed herself for not going back, for not fighting.  
What of Lady Sa-me? And her girls? Had they gotten out? The gruesome image of the blood soaked lady was enough to cause a shiver down her back. That was something she was sure of. That terrible lady had no doubt assured the rest of her broads survival.  
But, if the workers had fled to this city, was this city close to the Inn? How close? Had she spent weeks toiling in madness for nothing?  
Phu had said that the trip to the city would have taken him half a day at his pace, if she had not been causing such a delay. She had been this close to help, to finding out some answers, to finding her friends. Instead, she hid like a child in the grasses surrounding the monastery, and playing pretend, like the life she had lived before that place was nonexistent.  
Understandably, her mind was at war with itself. It cried foul, it begged her to see that she needed time to heal, to come to terms!  
The darker side spat snide remarks about cowering like a little bird in the underbrush, waiting for the hawk to pass with no proof there was ever a hawk.  
Should she try to return? In her heart, she felt she would not be whole until she found out what became of her home, of her friends, and co-workers. Was the building still standing?  
Was Master Kōsen still alive?  
Was he looking for her?  
She should truly go and see for herself.  
But the fear was still there.  
She still feared the fire and she still feared Master Kōsen. And more than anything, she wanted to find Haku. She wanted to find out her name. If she could do that, if she could find out who she was before she met Master Kōsen, she thought she might be okay.  
Even if Kate, or Emi, were not there. Even if she faded to nothing. If she had her name, and knew who she was, she thought she might be okay.  
But she needed to get it first.  
With the resolve taking a firm hold of her heart, she nodded.  
It was easy work enough to find Phu, he was prowling the lane in front of the shop, looking like an angry tiger. He stopped when he saw her, and his face whiskers smoothed out.  
"Where hav' ya' been? Inside the entire time?" He snapped. She nodded, confused by his attitude. Her tugged at his scruff, and huffed.  
"He told me ya' stormed out in a sour mood. Tha' hell he do tha' for?" He snapped again, shoulder muscles bunching in agitation.  
Suzume shrugged, but thought secretly that the Smoke man had assumed she needed time to think, without the tiger spirit breathing down her neck. She could appreciate that.  
"I don't know. But I wanted to ask..." Her words died on her lips as he swung his attention directly to her. She was struck again by his looks. He was not handsome, not in the least, but he had a gruff, wild look about it. And he exuded confidence. She definitely could use some of that nowadays.  
"I wanted to ask, were you serious, about helping me find Haku?"

* * *

Review? Please and thank you! 3


	28. Chapter 28

**Broke 100 reviews! Woo!**

 **Thanks so much for reading, and I appreciate any criticism. I have been re-reading the entire series so far and I have found quite a few inconsistencies, and some messy work. I'll will go through and fix everything once I'm done. It looks like this story is going to be about 35-40 chapters. I'll keep you updated.**

 **Now for disclaimers. I don't own Spirited Away, I would have made a book, and/or another movie. I don't own the artwork, that is Abbey Diamond. She has lovely work.**

* * *

 _Leave. You need to leave._

She woke with a start, having not remembered what she had dreamt, but her heart was pounding. Phu was not in the room, but most days, he stayed away. She thought he might be out looking for more information, but she could never be sure.

Her head throbbed, and her skin felt too tight, like she was ill. But she didn't feel sick.

Maybe she _was_ getting sick.

She dressed as quickly as her stiff body would allow, trekking downstairs to the shop, hoping at the Smoke Man might have something to ease her headache.

He was working at a table in the hot kitchen, grinding down dried herbs and brushing them into glass jars.

"Hello. Has it been busy?" She asked, tying an apron on and brushing at some crumbs left on the counter. There were orders to be tied, the customer names written in choppy hand. She started on twisting the twine around the parcels, pretty adept at keeping the loose herbs all contained. Her first few attempts at this had ended up all over the floor, and the Smoke Man chasing her from the shop in anger.

Now, he did not spare her more than a glance.

"You are in pain?" He asked, turning away despite his question. She shrugged, and touched her head briefly.

"I didn't sleep well, my head hurts." She sighed, returning to her work. After an hour of steady work, she stopped to eat, gratefully accepting a tincture for her head. He warned that she would need to take it on a full stomach, or she might be physically ill.

She heeded his words, and took her time chewing her food, then pinching her nose for the bitter medicine.

She was nearly finished with cleaning her bowls when the Smoke Man spoke, startling her.

"I have a question…" He said, his hands never stopping their activity. She watched him cautiously, put her dishes back in the cupboard. He must have deemed her look enough of a response to continue.

"The workers, who came from the burning Inn, those not given new contracts, do you know what happens to them?"

His words caught her so unaware that she nearly dropped the parcels she was handling.

"They fade." She answered, shuffling the orders in her hand. The man creature made a noise, waited for her to hand change to a customer, then continued.

"Some do, yes. Those who are lost spirits, they rely on the magic of the contract to keep them tied to this realm. Otherwise, they will fade as their spirit wanders. Others…" A pause to listen to a woman raving about blue spots on her mate's eyeballs to which she was given a brown glass bottle the size of her thumb. "Others, who willingly surrendered their names, they become lost spirits unless their names are returned. It can take time, or they can sign a new contract, for them to feel the effects of a destroyed contract. If the name is lost, and no one can recall it, then, for all intents and purpose, that name was destroyed." Another pause. She was pressed against the back counter, having shuffled out of the way when she found she could no longer focus on the orders or customers. The Smoke Man vacillated between spirits, trying to understand what they were looking for, or what the problem was. He was good at what he did. He had an affinity for medicinal remedies, and had a no nonsense attitude that allowed him to cut straight to the heart of the problem with little offense to any of the parties involved. She waited for him to finish.

"Why're you bringing this up?" She asked when the last customer hurried out with his order. She took the rag from the man creature to finish wiping down a counter. He stared at her, his face neither curious or questioning. In fact, it was a rather apathetic face. Any emotion was difficult to read in the fire pits of eyes or undefined mouth.

"How is it you feel neither the affects of an ignored contract or the signs of a broken one?" He responded. She scrubbed intently at a spot, noting that it was merely a discoloration of the wood but not wanting to have to pull her attention away.

When at last she could abuse the counter no more, she tugged the apron off, folding it neatly. She froze in her movements when she realized Phu was leaning against the door way, amber eyes tracing her movements like he stalked prey. His gaze swung left to right, slowly, his body completely relaxed as he leaned.

She swallowed, refusing to meet his gaze, instead staring just past him. She shrugged, placing her apron in the cupboard.

"I don't know. Maybe I am experiencing them, maybe I just don't know it." She shrugged again, shoulders slumping.

She watched under lowered lids as Phu pushed off the wall, his big body crowding the workroom.

"Don't give me tha' look, I'm na' strong enough to keep you bound hur'. I jus' barely had enough ta' get ya' through tha' stomach sickness ya' had." He growled, crossing his arms and looking away. It dawned on her that he was not a powerful spirit.

She had become accustomed to them, she realized. Spirits with great power.

Master Kosen and Haku, even the Naga.

Michi-ko and Kate.

It made sense that there would be more lesser spirits than greater spirits. If everyone ran around with as much power as Master Kosen, there would be no one to work under them. Master Kosen had flaunted his power, had used it for careless things, like changing his clothes, and sending used linens to the laundry room when he had workers to gather them.

But who was she to question how someone used their magic?

She had none to speak of.

There was definitely some things she could think of that she'd rather use magic for, but she didn't have the luxury.

The Smoke Man moved to turn the sign on the door over, indicating they were closed.

"A few hours sleep before the next rush." He said simply.

That was peculiar.

She didn't think in the few weeks they had been there that she had seen the man thing sleep, or eat, or do anything besides tend to his orders or look over her arm.

But she'd never asked either.

Holding a hand to her aching head, she slouched against a wall. The man creature eyed her, stopping suddenly in his ascent of the stairs.

"The pain is still there?" He returned to her side when she nodded, his face uncomfortably close, the sulfur on his breath thick. "Perhaps dehydration? Or mind tremors?" He murmured, not really to her or anyone else.

He pulled out some ingredients from the small drawers, talking to himself the entire time, quieting down when he at last gave her a foul smelling brown goop.

She downed it with a grimace, fighting to swallow it all as it clung to her teeth and tongue.

Very bitter.

She was sure she'd taste it for days.

"Have some tea, perhaps five or six cups in the next hour. If it does not ease, come find me." And then he was gone, moving swiftly up the stairs.

Phu gave her a questioning glance, but just frowned when she explained it was just a headache.

"Where have you been all day?" She asked, as she set the kettle over the fire.

She reached for two cups, raising one to him.

He nodded to her silent question while pulling a stool over from the hot kitchen to the cooler work room.

"I have been talking a few heads off, looking in on some leads. And everyone can agree that no one knows exactly _who_ tha' dragon is." He gave a wry look into his palms, letting them hang loose in his lap. "Yur' sure ya' want to do this?" He sighed, his piercing gaze catching her as she paced between the kettle and the empty cups.

She shook her head.

Then nodded.

"To be honest, I'm not sure I do." She rolled her eyes at his annoyed look. "I'm not saying I'm backing out. I _need_ to do this. I need to find Haku…" Once more, he stared her down, his expression unreadable. With a blush, she quickly amended "and get my name back…"

They were quiet while she poured them each a cup of water, doling out the appropriate amount of leaves for each.

Phu let his sit for a while, the leaves steeping until the tea was dark.

She knew he took it without sweetener, couldn't understand how he could choke it down. She liked her light and with a bit of honey.

She found she had never known tea until she had been introduced to honey by the Smoke Man. The man thing said that honey was good for a variety of things; soothing sore throats, aiding in the prevention of allergies, and best of all, sweetening food and drink. It had taken a few tries, but she had found the amount that was _just_ right, an even balance.

She was pouring her second cup when Phu cleared his throat, then waited for her to sit opposite him.

"What will ya' do if it isn't him?" He asked seriously. She licked her lips, nervousness welling in the pit of her stomach.

She picked at a chip in the table with a dull nail.

"I suppose I can't stay with you then?" She murmured. He shook his head with a frown.

"I told ya', I would take ya' this far, see that ya' get where ya' need to be." He rolled his head from one shoulder to the other. "My land, I must return to it. It is what gives me strength, and I owe my charges my protection." He growled, looking out into the storeroom. She knew the look she was giving him was pitiful, but she couldn't imagine going anywhere on her own, doing _anything_ by herself. Do anything _right_ by herself.

"If, if it isn't him… I'll just.. I'll give it up. I'll come back, or go to the next city. I'll find work. I _have_ to work." The words were difficult to say aloud. She'd give up on trying to find out who she was. There would be no point in spending her whole life trying, her life would be wasted! And who knew when whatever magic that was keeping her from fading would wear off. It would be best to get a job, maybe one not under a contract. Something to afford her enough coin to live off of.

She was no so naïve to understand that she could end up a prostitute, many girls did. She saw the dark look Phu was treating the floor to and figured he was thinking the same thing.

Did she want to give up?

Definitely not.

She needed to believe that this lead, that this dragon, that it was Haku.

"And if it is him," She started, wrapping her hands around her warm cup. "Then I will have my name, and I can get work. I can find family, maybe. Or at least wherever my home was." She shrugged, sipping her tea, grimacing at the bitter taste.

Forgot the honey.

* * *

The chance that anything could go wrong was so great, was so probable, that the mere thought of it ate away at her sleep. She tossed in her blankets, and more than once she had smacked her flailing arms in to the wall, startling awake the sleeping tiger.

They had gathered as much information as they could, and the Smoke Man had paid her a meager wage for the few weeks she had worked. Phu had turned down the apothecary's offer of money with a quiet frown. He was not a spirit who gathered wealth, and once he returned to his domain, he would have no need for it.

"Do you remember anything from the human realm? How can you be sure this dragon will grant you what you need?" He growled at her for the hundredth time.

And her answers were always the same.

No, she couldn't remember anything from the human world.

I don't know how sure I can be, but he was the only one who knew who she was. She knew in her heart that he would aid her, that he would give her the answers she needed.

That didn't make her any less scared to face whatever was waiting for her.

* * *

 **I was thinking of posting two chapters tonight because I felt like this was so short, and mostly filler. But I guess I'll wait. I might be tempted to post it on Wednesday though if I hear enough about it. Review and follow so you'll get the updates when I post. Thanks for reading!**


	29. Chapter 29

Super long chapter. Fair Warning. Thank you for reading! This week went by fast. Enjoy.

* * *

She wandered around the city, the empty streets and shuttered shops. It was nearly mid-day and she was just looking to waste time. Every moment had her anxiety growing. Her restlessness was so strong she had taken to pacing, and finally Phu had snapped at her.

She was ruining his concentration. She wanted to snap back that he wasn't doing anything but sitting with his eyes closed. What could he possibly be concentrating on?!

Instead she left, intent on working her energy out.

She ducked down an alley, trying to get out of the wind when she nearly ran into someone.

"Oh, sorry…" She apologized, before realizing who it was.

 _Ame._

She stepped back immediately. He was leaning against a stone wall, arms crossed.

It dawned on her that he'd been _waiting_ for _her_.

He wasn't surprised in the least at her arrival, in fact, he hadn't even flinched when she'd crashed into him.

"Where is the tiger?" He drawled, his pale gaze drifting over her body. She brushed at her clothes. She'd just recently picked up her new tunic and pants, and had pulled her hair back with a tie.

"He's around…" She glanced at his face through her lashes, hoping he wouldn't catch her. She was startled by his eyes. In the darkness of the first night, she had thought his eyes were the color of the sky before sunrise. Now, she could see they were even paler, ghost like.

He had blind eyes.

"Are you… blind..?" She asked, slapping a hand over her mouth. How could she just ask someone something like that!? His glare should have answered her question, but his eyes didn't meet hers.

"I can see fine, thank you." His sardonic response made her question her judgement.

Maybe he wasn't blind. He frowned, pushing off the wall.

"How do you know Michi-ko?" She swept her eyes away, looking up the alley, trying to find something to change the conversation.

"How did you get that burn?" She asked in lieu of answering him. He regarded her with a cross look, leaning against the side of the building. She though he might not answer her, figured he thought himself much to esteemed to answer the questions of humans.

"How did _you_ get your burn?' He mimicked back at her. She fought not to roll her eyes at his childishness.

Still, she covered her scar with her good hand, feeling a bit self conscious. The new tunic that had been made for her covered her to her elbows, but the red scars peeked out, traveling down her forearm.

"The place I worked at, there was a fire… an attack…" She looked away, not able to meet the pale blue of his eyes.

She had to remind herself that despite the pale color, he could see just fine. She didn't know why she kept imagining him as blind, she'd had a literally faceless lady cutting her hair. She'd been more accepting of that then the possibility that this man couldn't be blind.

His gaze was intense, as if he questioned the truth of her words.

"My sister was there, in that fire." He responded, brushing invisible dust from his sleeve. She blinked at him, her brain trying to piece together parts of a puzzle.

Ame was a handsome looking man, who shared the similar features of blonde hair and blue eyes as someone else she knew.

His eyes were too pale, and hair too dark; But the shape of his nose, and the thin eyebrows brought fourth a face she'd long accepted she'd never see again.

Kate.

Was this Kate's brother?

She looked at him again, this time studying his face closer, trying to see her friend in the lines and features.

She was there, in the shadow of his eyes, and the curve of his mouth. This man did not seem to relish in smiling, his serious mien enough to scare off most everyone.

"Michi-ko says you are the daughter of a client." He started, standing to his full height, his expression dark. "She will not tell me who. Although, you may have just given me the answer." She watched as he growled, baring his teeth and clenching his fists.

She backed away, placing her hands against the shop wall.

"I don't know what you're talking about. I don't know who my parent's are… I don't even know who _I_ am…" She hissed, pressing her back against the stone wall.

He stared her down, his soft gaze unwavering. She felt like he was staring into her soul, looking for the lies.

She nibbled her lip, and his look turned peculiar.

A sound to her right drew her attention, the door to a shop slamming closed.

She waited for whoever it was to round the corner, but they never did.

When she looked back to Ame, the man was gone.

She knew that even if she looked for him, she wouldn't find him.

* * *

It was some time before she wandered back to the shop. The Smoke Man was working, as always. He asked about her headache, murmuring to himself when she said it had gone away.

She couldn't tell if he'd been happy or vexed about that. Perhaps he had seen a challenge when it had not gone away, and now that challenge was gone?

Or maybe he was happy that he had the answers for it?

Who knew. The benefits of an emotionless face.

She and Phu would leave that night, well after the rush of people subsided, closer to dawn. Phu had appeared early this morning, two tickets in hand, silent on how he got them. She felt terrible that he might have spent a fortune on them, or that he offered any favors for someone, but he'd assured her that when they left, he would leave no debt behind.

"There are more ways ta' get what ya' need than money or powa'." He said, handing her the paper tickets. "Sometimes, all ya' need is hard work."

She didn't want to offend him by further questioning him, so she let it go.

Now, the nervousness was welling in her stomach. In a few hours, they would leave.

In a few hours, she would confront a dragon, not knowing whether it was the one she wanted or another.

What would she do if it wasn't the dragon she was looking for?

Besides the obvious, not having found Haku, would she be able to leave that domain? Would Phu leave her before she confronted the dragon?

Would he help her leave?

What if it was _Ame?_

Well, she was reasonably sure he wouldn't kill her, or enslave her… maybe. Chances are he didn't know the connection between herself and Haku, or he didn't care. He thought she was the daughter of some client of Michi-ko's. Hopefully he just say her as a nuisance now, something that was a waste of time.

What if it _was_ Haku? What then? What should she say to him? There was so much that ran through her mind, that screamed to be answered.

What was her name?

That would be the first question. Everything else could wait, nothing else was as important.

* * *

"Is this the right stop?" She glanced at him from the corner of her eye. Phu seemed just as agitated as she felt. He was shifting around, restless and edgy.

"Ya' tell me." He growled. He made no move to exit the train car.

Taking a deep breath, holding on to his hand, she leaned out, making sure her feet were firmly planted on the _inside_ of the car.

The stop was surrounded by water, and not much else.

She was yanked back by Phu who settled a hand around her waist.

"Ya' sure ya' want to do this? I don't have the power to keep you from vanishin', but I'm sure we could get someone to do us a fayva..."

He was uneasy, glancing out the still open doors.

She felt compelled to step out onto the platform. It was inviting her, a non-existent breeze pulling at her loose hair, trying to force her feet forward.

She looked back at the tiger, noticing the pinched look on his face.

With a nod, she pulled her arm free from him.

"I need to do this." Her words didn't come out as confident as she had hoped. He glanced her over, his hands running up and down her arms, narrowly avoiding the worst of her healing arm.

She peeked a look back at the platform, and knew they had to go quickly, or the train would leave.

The look Phu gave her stopped her though.

She studied him, his defensive posture, and anxious movements.

It dawned on her that he was sensing something she was not.

"You're not coming, are you?" She accused. He scowled, and crossed his arms.

"Ya' knew I could na' go any farther than this. I have territory I must return to." He seemed to glare out the door then. "Besides, it's vera clear I am not welcomed here. This is definitely tha' home of a dragon, loud and clear." He grumbled. "I doubt we could have gotten to this platform unless he knew ya' were coming..." He left his sentence hanging in the air.

As the words processed in her head, she felt excitement bubble within.

He knew she was here.

She was going to finally see him, talk to him, thank him.

Find out her name.

It took all of her self control and the heavy arm of a tiger spirit, to keep her from leaping from the train car.

Phu saw the change in her demeanor and closed his eyes for a moment.

When he reopened them, she felt a tingle spread from where his hand was connected to her, up her arm and across her chest.

"Sumthin' small, just to keep ya' sharp." He muttered, clearly embarrassed. "I can'na do much more than that..." He was not a great spirit of power, but he had been what she had needed.

She hugged him firmly, not at all surprised to find his strong arms crushing her to him. He would not let her look at him, but gruffly spoke into her ear.

"Be safe my charge, may the gods grant you happiness."

Without giving her time to respond, he turned her about, and shoved her through the doors.

As if they were waiting for that moment, the doors immediately closed, and the train sped away. She watched until it was out of sight, then turned to the vast ocean before her.

"I will see him again." She told herself.

Where was she supposed to go from here?

The wind grew stronger, almost sliding her feet along the platform. She watched it rippled the surface of the gentle water.

She stood there for some minutes, knowing she should go a certain way, but not wanting to just jump in.

But it seemed like there was no other choice.

So she tied her cloak around her waist, pulled off her boots and tucked them in the band of her trousers, pinched her nose and jumped!

And landed hard on her heels. She panicked for a second, fearing she hadn't jumped far enough, and that she would crash to the platform.

But the smooth, cold stone under foot was something else.

It was slightly grooved to give traction, but still felt slimy.

She was standing on the water, well, about an inch into the water. And there was a smooth gray stone!

With a laugh of surprise, she looked for another, and sure enough, when she reached her foot out carefully, it caught on another flat stone.

Where were these things coming from?!

She could not see them when she stared at the water, but each time she reached a foot out, she found another one.

After precariously following the hidden path for what felt like an hour, she was sure that wherever she put her foot, a stone would appear.

She was promptly proven wrong, as she tumbled into the water.

A moment of fear that she wouldn't be able to find the nearest hidden step to climb up flashed through her.

She'd been through enough to know that the spirit world was some times just an image of kindness.

But it merely took some splashing around to find the very stone she fell from, just past her finger tips.

Pulling herself up, she grumbled.

If she had much further to go, her chafing would be miserable.

This time, she kept a steady but cautious pace, feeling out each stone before she put her weight down.

It had only been a few minutes, maybe ten or fifteen steps, when she found herself sloping downward, facing a dark tunnel.

She hesitated, looking back at the ocean behind her. It swallowed the tunnel, leaving only the opening visible.

The wind urged her forward.

With a shake of her head, she moved onward.

* * *

The tunnel was drafty, and oddly shaped, like it was not meant for a human form. It was short and stout, smooth polished rock forming the walls and floor.

Once the light from the entrance was gone, she feared she'd be cast in total darkness.

Her eyes adjusted slightly, and the ground was an easy path, with no cracks or raised parts. She paid particular attention to her feet, making sure she wasn't about to slip or trip on anything.

About a half hour into the tunnel, she had to sit. The hunched position she was walking in made her back and shoulders ache, and she was sure she was starting to hear things.

Drips of water that sounded like footsteps, shadows moving across the walls, her heart beat echoing in her head.

She covered her eyes, and plugged her ears.

How much further did she have to go?

How much further _could_ she go?

The fear that something was waiting for her in the dark was strong.

The fear that she'd be trapped in this tiny tunnel, in the dark, was stronger.

She tried to take slow breaths.

It felt as if the walls were closing in on her.

Maybe she should just go back the way she came.

But she was never fond of going backwards.

Turning onto her hands and knees, she kept her eyes closed, and crawled. She just needed to get out.

There had to be an exit!

This tunnel had to go somewhere!

Sweat dripped from her face.

The tunnel became smaller.

She couldn't have stood now even if she had wanted to.

"This was a bad idea." She whispered to herself, stopping again to catch her breath.

Her heart was pounding, her breathing erratic.

Her muscles were coiled in fear.

"Keep going Suzume, keep going..." She repeated to herself over and over. Every time she wanted to stop, to shimmy backwards all the way out, she told herself to keep going forward.

She couldn't tell at what point it was no longer sweat dripping down her face, but tears as well. She was gasping in sobs, forcing herself to crawl forward.

She didn't want to do this.

She didn't want to be here.

But she _did_ want to see Haku.

This had to be the last test, the last step before they met.

Of course fate would test her, she needed to overcome this.

Laid out on her stomach, her hands, forearms and knees raw from the ground, she pressed her face to the stone.

"You've come so far Suzume, you can't turn back now." She felt as if the weight of the tunnel was pressing down on her, she'd never felt so confined in her life.

Everything screamed at her to get out, now!

With a cry, she shuffled on her belly, moving forward one painfully slow inch at a time.

She kept her eyes closed, trying to think of the huge open fields in Phu's territory, to think of the bright sun. Anything to take her mind off the damp, musky dark hole she had literally crawled into.

It worked for a little while, but then she could only think how she would never seen those things again, that she would be trapped down here, she would die down here.

She sat up, nearly smacking her head on the ceiling.

The tunnel had to have only been maybe three, three and a half feet tall, about two feet wide.

It occurred to her that it had taken on a oblong shape.

She sat slouched against the curved wall, hugging her knees.

After a moment of trying to slow her breath, she looked one way down the tunnel, the way she had come, she was sure, and then down the other way.

Everything was so dark.

She was still soaked, and her body was shaking.

The air felt heavy, and the mere thought that an ocean was on top of, all around her, terrified her all the more.

She looked the way she had been headed again, expecting to see never ending darkness.

But something moved instead, as if she'd been staring through the thing.

She flinched, grasping her legs tightly, calling out.

"Who's there?" Nothing moved, or answered.

She was absolutely sure she had seen something move.

"Hello..? Is someone there?" She tried again, and this time, the shadow moved again.

It was nearly on top of her!

She shuffled backwards with a scream, trying to get away. Her head knocked painfully against the wall, but she kept dragging herself away.

The creature turned, and it's white mask stunned her for a second.

A demon!

She was dead.

It reached forward, and she made to shove it's arm away, but her hand went right through it.

"Uh, uh." It waved her forward, hunched nearly in half in the small tunnel, pointing toward the way she had been traveling.

She didn't understand.

It moved closer to her and she backed up further.

The mask frowned, motioning toward itself.

"Uh."

And then, her brain worked through her fear, reminding her that _this_ demon was friend, not foe.

"No-Face..." She whispered. It nodded, it's entire body bobbing up and down. It continued to point further down the tunnel.

"You... you want me to keep going?" Again the demon bobbed.

She shook her head.

"I can't. I can't keep going. I'm scared." She sobbed. The No-Face frowned again, dropping its arms.

It waited until she got herself under control, then motioned forward, again.

"Uh. Uh-uh."

Rubbing her eyes on her soggy sleeve, she hiccoughed.

"What choice do I have, I guess..." It nodded, and moved some ways down the tunnel.

"No! Don't leave me!" Fearful that it would leave her in the darkness by herself again, she scurried after it.

The demon stayed just out of figurative reach, moving away each time she came close.

And then she lost complete sight of it.

The fear seized up in her chest, locking her lungs up like ice. She couldn't breathe, couldn't think straight.

She shot forward, expecting to see him around the next bend, but he was not there.

With an anguished cry, she threw herself to her stomach and covered her head with her arms.

She listened to her breathing and thumping heart echoing around her.

A slight breeze tickled her hair against her face, and she hastily brushed it away behind her ear. She didn't need one more thing to irritate her.

Her body was sore, and her limbs were all scraped up. Her head hurt, and she felt dizzy.

She took a strong inhale of the sweet air, trying to find some calm within.

Her eyes blinked open.

Looking up quickly, she gave another cry, this time of joy.

Not 100 yards from her was a circle of light, a soft breeze wafting in the smell of sweet grass.

With renewed vigor, and the understanding that this hell did end, she dragged herself the last distance.

It was an opening, the exit, to the damnable tunnel. It opened to a field of tall sweet grass and wild flowers. The opening was a few feet from the ground, and gave a view of the field and a small bridge off in the near distance. The No-Face was no where in sight.

There was no direct sunlight, but the whole area was bright.

She waited for her eyes to adjust, calming herself, taking deep breaths, looking herself over. What she was shocked the most about was not the raw skin, or dirty clothes, but the tiny scales that coated her. They were varying shades of pearl, pink and opaque blue. They covered her, pressed into her scrapes, caught in her clothes, dusted through her hair.

Glancing back through the tunnel, she found it just as dark and ominous as she had thought it was.

With a shiver, she turned back to the open field, she tugged on her water logged boots, and braced herself for the jump down.

The grasses were a bit sharp as she walked through them. They came up to her shoulders, and threatened to trip her every few feet.

She regretted trampling so much of the vegetation, but there was no other way but through it.

The air was warm, but a breeze quickly cooled any signs of sweat. Her legs and sides were a bit chafed from the wet clothing, and she tugged her cloak off her waist, holding it, somewhat folded, in her arms.

She felt as if she was in a dream.

Anything after that tunnel would be a dream.

* * *

Closing her eyes, she basked in the weird light, moving steadily forward.

She didn't anticipate her boot striking stone so soon.

Opening her eyes, she found herself at the bridge she had seen in the distance.

It was a low stone bridge, just barely over the rushing water below.

She hadn't even heard the river.

The river flowed from her right, a massive stretch of water, to her left, where it was cut half in size, but picked up speed. It then disappeared down a dark hole in the rock around it.

She shivered, gripping her cloak tighter to herself.

It hadn't felt like she had walked all that far, and when she looked back, the hole from which she climbed out of seemed much closer than first thought.

Shaking her head in complete confusion, she turned her attention to the other side of the bridge.

She walked half way, wanting to see if anything posed a risk to her ahead.

All she saw was the face of a house, half sunk into the earth around it. The far corner blended into the rock face of the cliff next to it while the main of the house seemed to slant backwards into the dirt.

She moved closer, surprised at how big the wooden structure became once she stood only a few feet away.

The ground surrounding it was littered with sparse patches of grass, but most of it looked to be haphazardly tilled dirt, deep grooves marring the ground in patternless lines.

There were large shoji screen doors across the entire front, about a foot from the ground. She had to clamber onto the porch before she could even reach the doors.

They towered over her, about ten feet tall, and wouldn't budge when she tried to open them.

With a huff, she sat on the edge of the porch, her legs swinging idly, studying the land around her.

She didn't know what to do now.

Was Haku here?

Shouldn't he have been waiting for her?

Where was here?

What was she doing here?

She leaned back on to her hands, closing her eyes, feeling weary and exhausted.

Maybe a short nap would do wonders, get her thinking straight again.

She just quietly listened to the rush of the river, the soft sway of the grasses that seemed so far away now.

Then a peculiar sound entered her ears.

It sounded like...

"..A train?" She questioned, looking around.

Had she gotten off at the wrong stop after all?!

It sounded like a train blaring through... a tunnel...

Her eyes were instantly drawn to where she knew the exit of the tunnel was, hidden now from view.

She watched in fascination as something came barreling out, shooting into the sky.

She had to shield her eyes, trying to find the object, a long thin line against the blazing light of the sky.

A dragon?!

She jumped to her feet, hands shadowing her eyes.

"Haku!" She screamed.

The creature somersaulted midair, twisting one way, then another before smoothly circling the cliff above the house.

Suzume pressed herself against the porch as the great creature came vaulting down, nearly on top of her.

It landed with a skid.

Now those marks in the dirt made more sense.

She'd seen similar marks in Haku's office.

But this creature was smaller than the writhing angry mass she'd seen bursting out of the witch's cottage, and decidedly darker. Its scales were a dark smokey blue, it's mane black as coal. It's bright eyes landed on her, and she felt like she'd seen the deep blue somewhere.

The creature would have been beautiful, but it was marred by thick red scars up it's side and over it's face. It was clearly blind in one eye; it danced sideways, looking her over.

The door to the home slammed open.

Suzume jumped, turning to look at the house, screeching when the thin form of Emi came stumbling out.

The girl nearly ran right past her, but slid to a stop, pointing a finger at her.

"Suzume!" She screamed, launching herself at Suzume.

She caught the girl with a cry, more concerned about the dragon Emi had ignored.

Whipping her head back toward the large beast, her mind tried to understand what it was seeing.

Instead of a dragon, stood the petite form of Kate.

Suzume's mouth dropped open, not sure how to process everything that was happening.

"What...?" Suzume wheezed.

Kate moved toward them, throwing her arms around them.

"Thank the gods you are safe." She murmured.

It took her a full minute to push them both away.

The happy tears that escaped could not be kept at bay, and she looked them both over.

The last she had seen Kate was at the fire, as the girl bravely marched back into the burning war torn building.

She couldn't remember the last she'd seen of Emi.

"Come, into the house, we can explain everything there. Let's get you out of these wet clothes, and get you something to eat..." Kate ushered the two of them in.

Suzume dumbly followed, startled when the giant screens slid open and closed without any aid.

* * *

 **DUN DUN DUN! Did any of you see that coming?!**

Some character development happened in this chapter for me, for a character I wasn't expecting it to. I'm finding myself attached to Ame, which makes it hard to make him who he has to be. (Which may or may no be a bad guy, I think that's too ambiguous). Thank you for reading, please review! Thanks!


	30. Chapter 30

**So I am going away for a few days to visit family, so this update is coming sooner this week. Enjoy.**

 **As always, I don't own anything besides my characters and my story-line. Also, I don't own the artwork, the artist is Abby Diamond. She's lovely.**

* * *

Suzume was surprised at how large the home was. Massive open rooms with sparse furnishings and few walls.

Shoji screens separated living spaces, but had slid themselves into the connecting walls, hiding from view, as they walked past.

They sat at a heavy wooden table in the kitchen, Kate across from Suzume, and Emi to her right.

It was all a bit awkward.

She was beyond happy to see them, but she didn't know what to say.

The pain she felt for the scars on Kate was tremendous. The red marks covered nearly her entire neck, disappearing under her tunic, and reached up the side of her face, branching out over the bridge of her nose. Her left eye was a cloudy white color, her ear was a raw red mess, and patches of her hair were still gone.

It was sickening to even look at.

Emi didn't seem any worse for wear, just as chipper, prattling on.

What did shock Suzume was when she realized her friend hardly moved her right arm, just kept it laid on the table, and that the sleeve lay flat where her hand should be.

She wanted to cover her face.

Emi caught her looking and grimaced, holding up the arm, letting the sleeve fall back.

Her hand was gone, just a stump left.

Suzume whimpered, but Emi just smiled.

"It's fine, really. I mean, it's taken some getting used to, but I'm able to put weight on it now, and soon I'll be able to use the arm fully again."

Suzume closed her eyes as the table descended into silence.

"Suzume, we were really worried. I told you what stop to take, why weren't you here? You should have been here before us..." Kate murmured, reaching her right arm across the table to her.

She grasped it, staring Kate straight in her good eye.

"Your name is Saisho, isn't it?"

Kate seemed perturbed by that comment, her lips pursing.

"I met your brother, briefly..." A guarded look crossed the girl's face and she retracted her hand. Suzume let her go. It was comforting to know that the brother she had always spoke of did actually exist. Perhaps a person who assumed a different name was still the same person.

She found hope that just because she lost her name, didn't mean she wasn't who she was supposed to be.

"My..brother... tall, short hair, perpetually angry looking? That about sum it up?" Emi giggled, covering her mouth with her only hand.

Suzume couldn't help but grin.

"Yes, that's him alright. But, like I said, it was a _brief_ meeting."

Kate rolled her neck, leaning back into her chair. She had served up some thick bread with some preserves for food. The sweet fruit was divine.

Suzume fought with herself not to stick her fingers into the glass jar. Even when she'd been at the House, sweets were few and far in between. Everything she'd eaten up until this point had been bland or full of spices.

Sweet was something she'd never tire of.

"What happened, Suzume?" Emi whispered, pushing her piece of bread onto Suzume's plate.

With an embarrassed glance, she noticed neither of the other girls had touched their food.

Then again, it looked like neither of them had forgone a meal since their parting. Phu had made sure she got at least one meal a day into her, but how many days prior had she gone with nothing except water?

Perhaps she had suffered just as much as they did, but her wounds were not all visible.

Licking her lips, she shifted in her seat, then without any grandeur, or in depth details, she regaled her tale. They made noises of sympathy, and traded looks with one another, but she felt like they would never understand the true depth of her fear, nor could they sympathize with what she had gone through. They had been _here_ , in dream land, with fruit preserves and shoji screens.

A small part of her resented them for it.

Another part reminded her that _she_ was the one who went to the Naga. They didn't make that choice, it was all on her.

Still, she felt a bit of jealousy burning in her belly. She tried to smother it with more bread. Kate deftly sliced more pieces, placing them within reach without a word.

"How did you get here? I mean, I guess you got to the station, but how did you get _here_?" Emi gestured to around them with her good arm.

Suzume shrugged, not really wanting to explain the soul eating terror she had felt in the tunnel.

"The same way you did, I suppose." She gestured at Saisho, which, she reminded herself, was the girl's real name.

A funny look crossed the older girl's face.

Suzume rolled her eyes.

"What?"

Saisho seemed unsure what to say, but her words blurted out anyway.

"The tunnel? But that's miles long!" Saisho seemed embarrassed, but Suzume just shrugged again, trying to temper the flare of anger.

Did she not think it possible?

"How else was I supposed to get here?" Silence hung between the three of them.

No one seemed to want to break the quiet; Saisho and Emi kept dodging looks from her.

Emi was the one to finally speak.

"You look tired, Suz, exhausted. I haven't seen those dark circles under your eyes since the first Solstice we worked. Let me take you to our rooms..."

Suzume stood slowly, feeling the ache in her body, not even letting Emi finish.

Sleep sounded like the best thing right now. Her body, mind and emotions were overwrought. She'd be more understanding, more clear minded, after some sleep.

As she settled down onto a thick futon, with a heavy blanket draped over her, she suddenly, desperately missed the large form of her tiger guardian.

She closed her eyes, and sent out a prayer that he had made it home safely.

It helped her ease into a dreamless sleep.

* * *

She couldn't sleep.

She had woken after only a short nap, and her brain refused to quiet down.

Laying on the futon, staring at the ceiling, she felt more out of place than she had in that tiny cramped room the smoke man gave her.

She missed the protection afforded to her by her traveling companion.

What would she do without him now?

She had so many questions.

Even if he didn't have the answer, he could reduce a problem to its bare bones, and she appreciated that when it came to tackling much of anything.

Take it piece by piece.

It was too quiet.

If she tried hard enough, she could hear the run of the river, or maybe she was tricking herself into thinking that.

Sitting up, she glanced cross the room. Emi was haphazardly sprawled in her blankets, sideways across her futon.

Somethings never changed.

Ka.. _Saisho_ hadn't come to bed. Her bed linens were still folded up neatly in the corner.

Convinced she just needed to get some fresh air, she slipped quietly from her blanket, and padded softly to the screen.

Not sure if it would slide open of it's own accord, she jumped when it did so, only opening a little more than half way.

The house was empty.

She had no interest in going to find trouble, so she stuck to the rooms she knew, but none of them contained her friend.

She ascended the large staircase they had come down a few hours prior.

Again, the much larger screens, moved on their own, each sliding just far enough for her to slip between the crack.

They clicked shut behind her.

The land surrounding the house was intensely more mesmerizing at night than it had been during the day.

The weird, constant light that had bathed the entire area in bright white was gone. The sky was dark, never ending.

Everything just seemed to _glow_. Every rock, every piece of grass, every speck of dewy water, gave off a muted sort of radiance.

The place exhaled _magic_.

She'd never seen something so beautiful.

So distracted was she, that she didn't spot Ka... _Saisho_ , until the girl spoke up.

"Can't sleep?" Suzume whipped her head around, seeing her friend lounged out atop the banister to her left.

She wondered briefly how the girl managed to balance there, before accepting that she had always been gracefully strong.

Saisho gave her a small smile.

"This place is teeming with energy the river makes, it'll take your body a few days to compensate."

Suzume turned back to look over the land. She could clearly make out the small stone bridge as it was a beacon of glowing light against the black water that rushed under it.

The only thing that didn't seem to emanate was the river.

"What is this place anyway?" Suzume questioned, sitting herself slowly down, dangling her legs over the edge.

She could feel long stray pieces of weeds brushing her bare toes, tickling them.

Saisho didn't budge, keeping her position.

With a happy sigh, she declared it her home.

She babbled on a bit about small things, like how in the morning, some cranes came to fish along the shallows, that was her favorite time.

She waned poetic about rolling in the tall grasses, cleaning her scales, and scratching her underbelly.

Suzume didn't care.

She was glad her friend loved her home, that she was home, but she honestly had more important things on her mind.

Like, Haku.

She wanted to ask her friend how she knew the man, he obviously cared for her a great deal if his anger that night in that cottage had been anything to go by.

Jealousy twisted in her gut, and she internally stamped on it.

She had no right to feel jealous, she had no claim to the man. He had helped her, on some occasions, and she owed him a debt of gratitude.

Also, she hoped he would return her name to her.

It was some minutes of Suzume humoring her friend when she interrupted.

"How do you know..." Her words died on her lips when Saisho's good eye looked at her. She lost her courage to know the answer.

This girl, dressed in her thin night clothes, her hair clipped close to her chin, and her gruesome scars, _she_ was _breathtaking_.

It suddenly struck Suzume how stunning her friend was, even despite her clouded eye, and mangled ear.

An angry, embarrassed burning caught her stomach on fire.

She could suddenly see how gorgeous the girl had been _before_ her injuries.

How could any man, spirit or not, look at another.

And, she was a _dragon_.

With a dismayed frown, she knew there had to be a great deal of interest between Haku, and Saisho. Mates, no doubt, as Phu would say.

She was so young though, but who was Suzume to judge her age. Spirits could be many years older than they actually appeared.

Saisho was looking at her expectantly.

She fumbled with what to say.

"Your brother, he was wounded too, when I saw him. He said, he was there, at the fire, helping you..." She finished lamely.

Of course Saisho would know her brother was there. How dumb could she be?

The girl gave her a pitiful look.

"Suzume..." Saisho sat up, crossing her ankles and balancing her body on the rail. "Ask me what you want to ask me." She said sternly. Kat... _Saisho_ had always been able to read her. Now she wished she hadn't brought anything up.

She shook her head, hugging her knees.

"I can't. I'm afraid to know the answer." She whispered. Saisho frowned.

"How can you be afraid of something you don't know?" She asked. Suzume's answer was quick, not even having to think.

"How can you not be?" They sat like that for a quiet moment when the older girl gently stepped down from her perch. She placed a hand on Suzume's shoulder.

"Very well. I am heading in. Don't stay out all night, you'll catch a cold." Saisho turned her back, the shoji screens sliding open soundlessly. Over her shoulder, she called out a last minute warning. "And stay away from the cliff side of the river, there is a shellycoat that has taken up residence in a small cave there. I doubt it'll do you much harm, but I don't know how strong of a swimmer you are..." She trailed off, then waved, slipping into the house.

She had no intention of going anywhere near the water. It lapped agitatedly against the shore, and swirled dangerously near it's funneling point.

 _She_ didn't even know how good of a swimmer she was, no point in taking chances.

Maybe she would wait up for sunrise to see the cranes.

By dawn, she had crawled back under her blanket, staring blandly at the huddled forms of Saisho and Emi under one blanket. With a small smile, she closed her eyes.

"Some things never change." She sighed.

* * *

 **Ta-Da! Thank you for reading! Please review! I love seeing those alerts! Have a great week!**


	31. Chapter 31

**A few hours early, but I won't be near my computer tomorrow. I guess people didn't like the last chapter? Haha. Well, on to the next I suppose. Enjoy!**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own anything except my characters.**

* * *

The day passed by in distracted idleness. Emi and Kate buzzed around the house, doing this or that, offering Suzume books, and food, and stories.

She humored them, but felt restless. There was no way she was going to just hang out here for countless days, she had a mission and needed to be on her way.

It felt like the girls were trying to distract her, but she mostly just felt irritated.

Conversation was stilted on her part, but Emi blindly prattled on.

By mid-afternoon, after having retreated outside for what seemed like the hundredth time, she jumped at the offer of walking down to the waterside. Anything to get out of reach of Emi's mouth.

She lagged behind as they walked, and waved them on when they stopped to wait for her.

They chatted with their heads close together, and Suzume felt some bitterness at their closeness. They had all been that close at one point, now she found herself biting her tongue relentlessly.

It had to be her.

She had to have changed.

They were the same, but she could never recall this antipathy towards them. She longed for Phu's quiet nature, and the nuns at the temple.

This place was wonderful, but it exuded a different kind of peace.

Once they reached the lapping water, Suzume watched in bewilderment as the two stripped down and wadded shoulder deep into the current. Emi ducked under while Ka...

She hated that she needed to keep reminding herself that _her_ name wasn't 'Kate'.

Saisho waved to her, urging her in, but she felt uncomfortable.

She was thin, and gangly, with rough skin and was no where near accepting of her body.

Shaking her head, she motioned that she would sit on the bank; and she did, with her knees tucked close to her body, and far enough that the water couldn't reach her.

This close to the river, she could hear a 'hum' that it made. It was low, and she was half sure she was imagining it, but it was there.

When she got bored, she idly folded Emi's clothes, stacking them neatly on top of Saisho's, then walked along the length of the water line.

There were pretty pebbles and stones littered amongst the rocks, but she left them all be. They were not hers for the taking.

"You should get into the water, it can help heal some of your scrapes..." She glanced at the very nude Saisho as the girl basked in the warm light.

With a grimace, she studied the burn scar that didn't stop until nearly Saisho's elbow, with little lines reaching her wrist. Her shoulder, and side of her neck, looked like it had received the worst of the damage, and with a flushed face, she realized the girl's left breast was gone, the skin puckered and warped, deep gouges still healing in her chest.

She closed her eyes.

This perfect girl had been marred so completely, yet still had no shame in her body.

"I'm sorry..." Suzume whispered, crumbling down next to her friend.

Her burn, which had seemed so large to her for all this time, now, it paled so drastically in comparison to the wounds on her friend.

How could she be so bitter? So angry?

Kate, and Emi, they had dealt with so much more, and here they were, trying to make _her_ feel better.

 _Saisho, Saisho, Saisho._ She repeated in her head.

The older girl leveled her with a serious look.

"I went into that fire, knowing it could cost me my life. It was a risk I was willing to pay, there will be no apologies from you. I only regret I did not get there faster. Emi had already lost her hand by the time I had found you, there was nothing we could have done." Suzume covered her face, shaking her head.

She trembled.

"What happened?" She asked, trying to control the level of her voice. Peeking through her fingers, she watched Emi lazily swim about. The girl seemed perfectly at ease, talking to herself.

"Emi's story is for her to tell. I will not deny her the right to find peace for herself. It has taken her a long time to accept the loss of a piece of her, but she is coping, in her own way." Suzume could respect that. She had struggled to understand how one went about life knowing a part of yourself was missing. That's why she was here.

"My wounds," She caressed her damaged shoulder. "Partially my fault. I lost my temper, I could not find Emi, and I saw the waste of life all around me. I was foolish, thought I was strong enough to take that bastard on. I expected to be burnt, you don't go into a burning building without expecting to be burnt... I wasn't ready for what I walked into. I am young, and I am dumb, and I was blinded by rage." She grunted, holding herself.

Suzume briefly touched her leg, gaining her attention.

"Fire magic." She said plainly and Saisho nodded with a grim frown.

"He tossed me about a bit, he hadn't realized who I was by then, distracted with so many attackers, but they were weak, disposed of easily. I was stunned. I'd never felt such pain in my life. I was sure I had been stronger than him! I could not have been more wrong." She seemed to struggle with her self and Suzume let her take her time. With a gasp, she continued, "He had me pinned, his talons went through my body, I could feel his fire burning my insides, I was dying..." Saisho was overcome with emotion, her body tense.

She cast a fleeting look of indecision at Suzume before rushing through her next words, probably eager to be done with the tale.

"My... my, my brother came then, he found Emi, and carried me to safety... he was burned as a result. The fire in me lashed out, protecting itself from him, and he was burned. Thankfully his mark will nearly fade..."

Suzume felt a tingle at the base of her spine, and her mind seemed to catch something of its own accord.

When she tried to brush off the feeling, her mind recalled Phu's spell for sharpness. So she paid further attention to what her brain caught.

 _She did not say her **brother** saved her._

Her eyes widened as she thought over the implications.

Her brother was younger than her, if her stories were to be trusted. Was it reasonable to think he would be weaker than her too? He was a male though, and was already taller than his sister, why couldn't he be physically stronger? But he had been pinned by Phu.

Did that mean the tiger was stronger? Or was the other male just weak?

Her brain shifted gears, pulling at another option.

She knew Haku had rushed off, it would only make sense that he had been there. But Saisho would not say as much.

Why?

What was she hiding?

Did she intend to spare Suzume's feelings?

What _were_ her feelings anyway?

She wanted to ask, felt the words on the tip of her tongue, but she pressed her lips together and held them in.

Saisho watched her, seeing her internal struggle.

Now was not the time.

Her friend was obviously still reeling from her encounter with her former boss, and needed her support.

She needed to set aside the pettiness and irritation she found herself clutching to. There were other days for them.

She hugged the older girl, telling her she understood. Whether they each understood one another was a moot point. Both had seen their fair share of terrible things, and in that, they shared a commonality. They could offer comfort, even if it was beyond their complete grasp of comprehension.

But their moment was over soon as Saisho pushed her away, and stood, pulling her up by her arm.

"I need to go do something for a little while, why don't you take a quick swim with Emi, gods know she won't come out until she's ready." They both glanced at Emi who was attempting to float on her back, staring into the fading sky.

But Suzume could not bring herself to touch the water.

Something held her back.

Saisho's grip on her arm became tight. She stared at the girl in confusion.

"Get in the water, Suzume." Saisho said slowly, with a nod.

Her adrenaline spiked, surging through her veins.

She pulled her arm away, and the girl let her go, but gave her a serious look. Not sure what was happening, but not exactly trusting the suddenly forceful girl, Suzume took a step back.

"I'll think about it. Don't you need to be going somewhere?" It didn't matter that she had no idea _where_ Saisho was going, or the nagging that wanted to know _what_ she was going to do, she just needed to be free of her.

Saisho rolled her eyes, and plunged into the water, swimming out to Emi. They whispered to one another for a quick second, then the older girl ducked her head under the water.

Suzume waited in anticipation for her head to bob back up, but it didn't. A nauseous streak curled in her belly at the mere thought, and she was momentarily afraid that her friend was in danger.

Emi came to shore, and shrugged on her clothes, still soaking.

It was nice to see someone wasn't willing to prance about in the nude, even if they were alone.

She sat near Suzume's feet, wiggling her toes in the water.

"You shouldn't over think it Suz, Kate is just excited to see you. She'd been a little... _fierce..._ since the fire... don't take it to heart." Suzume noted for what felt like the millionth time, that Emi still referred to their friend as 'Kate', maybe she could as well.

But the hypocritical feeling instantly flared in her.

She was searching for her name, what right did she have to refer to someone by one that wasn't theirs?

Emi cradled her hand-less arm on her lap, but Suzume didn't ask. She was tired, and couldn't take another emotional story.

"Maybe.. tomorrow... we can talk Em? Not today, I'm tired today..." Emi grinned at her, and for once, Suzume could believe that everything would be okay. But then she looked at Emi's arm again, and knew that things were different now.

But did have to mean things _wouldn't_ be okay?

Suddenly, Emi stood.

"Let's go eat something. It'll be a while until they get back."

Suzume was slow to catch up, calling after her. "They?"

Again, Emi gave her a cheesy grin, and waved her off.

"You'll see!" She sang, dancing further down the path towards the house.

Suzume did not like this one bit.

* * *

Emi had gone to take a nap, and Suzume couldn't believe what she was about to do.

The gaping mouth of the tunnel stood before her, as dark and ominous as she had worked it up to be in her mind.

"What are you doing, Suzume?" She demanded of herself.

She had made a deal with herself to stop doing blatantly stupid things.

This was most decidedly stupid.

But she was still running on a bit of adrenaline, and excess energy from this place, and _something_ felt off about Kate, Saisho, _whatever_.

She needed to leave.

It briefly occurred to her that she should try and take Emi with her, but she didn't honestly look to be in any danger.

She would come back.

So, she heaved herself up, and balanced on the edge, trying not to look back at the enticing view of an open field in comparison to this tiny hole.

"No-Face?" She called, hearing her words echo the length of the tunnel. Her stomach dropped. She had secretly hoped the demon would be here to guide her back through.

But she had made it once, and knew there was nothing hiding in there to harm her, just her own mind.

Besides, what would hide in a tunnel a dragon used?

 _A dumb human..?_

She shook her head, and swallowed hard.

"You can do this."

And then she looked back.

She told herself it was to remind her that there would be an end to this nightmare.

What she spotted drove her to throw herself into the hole. She could distantly see Saisho walking towards the house.

She needed to get moving now.

Crawling as fast as she could, she thanked her foresight to grab a long sleeved tunic and pants. Her scabs and skin were saved from further damage, thus far, and the scales that littered the ground barely stuck to her.

She just needed to keep a steady pace.

* * *

 **So what is she running from? Dun-dun-duunnnnnn! Thank you for reading. Please take the time to review! It means the world to me, I love reading what you all think! Until next week!**


	32. Chapter 32

**Thank you for the reviews, so many!**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own the works, the artwork, or much of anything. Just borrowing, with intents to write a story I want to read.**

 **Enjoy!**

* * *

She could feel it, the dread setting in.

Could feel the fear creeping into her heart.

She steeled herself against it, gritting her teeth.

"Just a little further." She kept telling herself. She wouldn't let herself rest, she _had_ to keep moving. What was stopping Saisho from just flying to the platform to meet her there?

That was an entirely possible scenario, but it was a risk she had to take.

* * *

She was heaving for air when the tunnel widened. She had to be near the entrance!

Almost able to stand at her full height, she half crouched, half ran the rest of the way.

Before her was an ocean of dark blue, a bit more sinister in the night, but the moon was high in the sky and gave her a perfect view of the station.

No one was waiting for her there.

She tugged her boots off, rolled up her pants, and tried to make steady work of the hidden path.

Her toes slipped on the slick stones a few times, but she never went down. Her clothes were a bit wet, but nothing that would hinder her.

She felt such relief when her feet landed on the smooth polished stone of the platform.

There wasn't much of a plan, to be honest, she hadn't fully believed she would have made it through the tunnel, again.

She didn't know why she so desperately needed to leave, but she did.

Peering over the platform, she was slightly pleased to see the submerged tracks, only about a foot deep.

"Walking it is."

* * *

Okay, so this wasn't her brightest idea, but it hadn't been terrible either.

The tracks went on and on, and she was surrounded by water on all sides, and not much else.

Except, now she was at a fork. The tracks separated; one curved off to the right, and the other went straight.

"Best to just go straight."

* * *

Dry ground. She never thought she'd be so happy to see it.

Her feet were _sore_.

She was on a nameless, numberless platform waiting for her feet to dry out.

A train passed, and with a groan, she was soaked up to her waist.

With a petulant sigh, she continued on down the tracks.

* * *

The sun rose.

It was beautiful as it crested the horizon.

Almost made up for how rubbed raw her thighs were.

Almost.

But with the sun came new hope. She could see a city in the distance.

* * *

She took her time getting there, and the sun was almost in the center of the sky by the time she set her feet down on more solid, dry ground.

Said appendages were water logged, peeling and tender.

She sat for some minutes on a quiet half wall, watching as a spirit here or there milled about. It was daytime, and most wouldn't be out until sundown.

So she waited, dozing briefly in the shade of a small tree, but she was half scared Saisho would catch her that her sleep was light at best.

As lights started appearing within shops and buildings, she went out in search of a ticketing booth. She needed a train ticket.

The cost was twice as much as she had on her.

With a frown, she retreated, and bought herself some dinner instead.

Maybe she could find work in the city, save some gold.

But she had no working letters, or papers of recommendation.

Sitting on the small wall, she chewed her rice thoughtfully.

She needed a plan.

Across the way, she watched a man sitting on the ground with a wooden bowl by his knee. No one dropped any coin into it despite the mass of spirits that passed.

Could be worse, she could be a beggar.

She darted across the street, squatting down to the man's level.

His eyes were covered by his bushy brow.

"I'm sorry, I need to save my coin, but..." She fished the second ball of rice out of the cloth it was wrapped in. "You can have this if you'd like."

The man nodded, reaching for the food before she had even finished.

She blinked, and the food was gone, the only sign he'd eaten it was a single grain on his chin.

Smiling lightly, she retreated back to her spot.

It still startled her how different all the spirits were, and how you couldn't tell friend from foe, or who anyone really was.

Or maybe she just couldn't.

Other spirits could see each other for who they were, right?

Perturbed by the feeling of eyes on her, she moved away from the crowded street, heading back to the train platform.

Maybe she could just continue walking along the tracks.

There was a train stopped by the time she got there, and the conductor turned to her, holding his gloved hand out.

She held up her hands, shaking her head.

"Oh, no. Sorry, I haven't got a ticket..." A wrinkled hand reached over her shoulder and placed a single crumpled ticket in the white gloved hand.

She stared in awe as the old man patted her shoulder and hobbled away.

"T-t-thank you!" She called, but he had already disappeared into the crowd, and she lost sight of him.

The conductor was tapping his fingers on the machine used to destroy the tickets, obviously waiting on her.

"I, I need to get to the Aburaya, please..." He motioned into the car.

She scurried in the doors, amazed that not a single seat was available. No one offered her a seat, so she found a free space on one of the poles, and held tightly to it with one hand.

The car jostled as the train sped off.

She managed a seat, when a third of the car cleared out at the next stop. She didn't know what stop she was looking for, figured she would notice a bathhouse when she saw one.

She knew what it looked like, countless guests had explained it in all it's splendor, but she wasn't entirely confident in her memory at the moment.

Knowing she had to keep awake no matter what, she took to spirit watching. It was a bit of a game, trying to study a spirit without them catching.

Some didn't care at all, didn't move or look up, just stared straight ahead, or at the floor.

Other's were consistently shifting and moving, roaming their eyes over the others.

And the third group, they were the shadow people, there but not. Some would fade in and out, there one moment, gone the next.

She watched disinterestedly as they came to a stop at a small, plain station. There was a massive field that went on for miles and miles. In the distance, you could see a small lean to.

The creature that got on was a massive...white... _thing_...

She pursed her lips and tried not to stare.

Emphasize on _tried_.

She had seen many different spirits between her work at the Inn, and traveling, and now, on this train.

She had seen this spirit before. Had it been at the Inn?

Or had she seen it in a city?

Fate must have had it out for her since the thing waddled it's way to a seat across from her that suspiciously became vacant just seconds prior.

It had no fingers or toes, just long spindly extension that looked like they branched off, almost like roots.

These spindles extended from it's chest, its chins; anywhere it's body came to a point, these spindles appeared to be.

It's face parted at the chins, separating and elongating into two, wrinkly, trunk like appendages.

It wore a simple red cloak and hat that covered it's eyes from her view.

She was trying not to stare, truly.

Closing her eyes briefly, she felt as if she was some place else. No longer was she in the noisy train car, but squished into a box, an elevator she thought.

" _If you want to go up, pull the lever on your right..."_

She opened her eyes.

The creature was silent as the train moved on.

She tried to place where she'd seen this spirit before.

It didn't help that it'd glance at her staring, and she'd shoot her eyes away with a blush, having been caught.

It never said anything, just breathed some what noisily.

The train came to a slowed halt, the doors opening to a rather plain station. She looked out the windows, but didn't recognize anything.

She was startled when the large spirit stood, meandering half way out the doors. It turned to look back at her, and it's spindly hand pointed to the station.

She should just stay on the train.

 _Stay on the train._

She should close her eyes and ignore the weird looking spirit urging her out. Let the doors close and move on.

But she _knew_ this spirit. He had been kind to her.

She couldn't say how she knew that, she just did.

So she found her feet moving, following the massive spirit out onto the platform.

She glanced back briefly, watching the doors of the train slide closed. As it pulled away, she prayed she wasn't making a mistake.

* * *

The spirit had walked onwards along the dry tracks, pausing only long enough to see if she followed.

Licking her lips, she glanced around, studying her surroundings.

In the near distance was the rear of a great building.

Windows were opened to allow the cool air in and laundry hung from some lines strung out between balconies.

Could that be...?

She trotted after the spirit, her eyes searching out every detail of the building, from the worn pipes, to the weathered roofs.

It wasn't long until she caught up to the slow moving spirit, and desperately wanted to run ahead. Instead, she trailed behind, trying to catch glimpses of anyone on the inside, but the place was like a ghost town.

They moved steadily forward, moving away from the tracks and up a fairly steep hill of grass. She was mildly concerned the massive spirit would not make it, wanted to take it's arm and help it, but there was no room on the small path.

At last, they came to a small wooden gate.

It was comically painful watching the spirit wiggle through the regular sized gate. She didn't know if she should climb over, and pull the spirit through, or if it would be acceptable to push him from the backside.

She placed her hands flat against it's side, surprised at how firm the skin was, and gave a slight push. It didn't budge.

She leaned her weight into the creature, and at last, the spirit was through. She tumbled through the gate herself, catching herself on her hands and knees, grimacing at her scraped skin.

With a huff, and a dust of her hands on her pants, she closed the gate quickly, hurrying after the spirit.

Her pace slowed until she stood next to the spirit at the beginning of a massive wooden bridge.

She was mesmerized.

She had _definitely_ been here before.

But that was _impossible_.

Before them rose the red building, glass panes glinting in the sunlight, smoke billowing from the stack.

Half the bridge was cast in the shadow of the rail, and it took her a moment to realize some one was standing there.

The spirit she had followed continued onward, passing over the bridge at it's slow pace, but she could not bring herself to go on.

Her feet were stalled on the stones before the wood, feeling like a hundred pounds.

This was it, she could feel it.

This was the moment she had been looking for, for countless days, nights, weeks.

She stared at her feet, not sure if she could look up.

She knew _he_ was there.

Closing her eyes, she licked her lips and took a deep steadying breath.

The wind urged her forward, blowing hard against her back, loose hair tickling her shoulders.

Cautiously, she peeked her eyes open.

She watched him dip his head to the passing spirit, only standing upright again once the creature had cleared the bridge.

He was just as she remember, as if his image was burned into the backs of her eyelids. He wore simple clothes, his feet bare, his long hair haphazardly tossed around by the wind, not that he seemed bothered in the least.

His arms hung calmly at his sides, studying her the same as she did him.

Her bag dropped from her shoulder, thumping unceremoniously to the ground.

"Haku..."

He held a hand out to her, beckoning her forward.

Her feet shuffled forward, and she found herself holding her breath.

He waited patiently until she got to him, staring up into his face.

She could feel her lungs protesting a bit, and she wondered why she felt it so necessary to deny herself oxygen.

"You don't need to hold your breath, that spell has long been broken." He said. Opening her mouth, she let a smooth breath slip down her throat.

She stepped closer to him, inhaling the sharp smells that she could only assume were him.

"What's my name?" She whispered.

The wind whipped around them, the tips of his long hair blocking his face from complete view. But his eyes, oh his eyes, were ever prominent.

Blazing saurian eyes consumed her.

She could see nothing but his eyes, the world falling away from around them.

"In this place, you are known as 'Sen'."

She breathed his words in, his scent, his presence.

" _You're name is Sen now; Answer me Sen!"_

" _Good job Sen!"_

" _Okay Sen, the station is the 6th stop, Swamp Bottom..."_

" _Where is Sen? I want Sen!"_

" _What did you do to me, Sen?!"_

" _Hey Sen! I'm sorry I called you stupid, I take it back!"_

" _If you make Sen cry, I won't like you anymore."_

Memories like flood water poured though her mind.

"Sen..." The name passed through her mouth, but still felt wrong.

"My name... is... Sen..." She said uncertainly, staring a hole into his tunic.

He took her by the elbow.

"In this place, your name was Sen." He responded with an air of surety she should not deny. She turned her face back up to his.

He was remarkably handsome, and unworldly. She could see the beast that lurked beneath his skin, his shadow giving him away.

Overwhelmed by emotion and memories, she slouched into him, suddenly exhausted.

* * *

 **Ta-da! Potentially the most awaited for chapter? What say you? Thank you for reading! Review!**


	33. Chapter 33

**My week has been nuts, I nearly forgot to post this. Also, I'm not going to post at all the rest of the month of November. I've decided to do NaNoWriMo, and will be focusing on that.**

 **I'll post again the first Friday of December. This is your heads up.**

 **Once more, disclaimer: I own nothing that is not my own.**

 **Enjoy!**

* * *

"Come, you should rest. We can talk later."

He turned away, guiding her.

She half turned, remembering her fallen bag, but it was not there.

Shaking her head, she allowed herself to be led into the magnificent bathhouse.

The halls were empty, and the place quiet as they moved through the establishment.

The smell of sweet wax helped solidify some of the murkier memories.

She could remember being in the same lift with Haku, but they were both much smaller, and she had the distinct feeling that he had been mad at her.

She glanced at him now, trying to decipher what he was feeling, but his face was as passive as could be.

They stopped at a dark hall, and Sen peered down at all the closed shoji screens that lined the walls.

A gentle tug on her shoulder pulled her back in time for the lift to move upward.

"Almost there." He murmured.

They were silent again.

She didn't know if she should thank him for all that he had done for her thus far, if she should ask for a job, or if she should warn him that she pissed off this Ame man who seemed to have so much control over him.

"Haku..." He cut her off, guiding her out of the lift and down an empty hall.

"Not now. Sleep first, then we can talk." His voice was muted, like her head was submerged in water. He stopped at a familiar door, one she had see countless times in her dreams.

His office was just as she had last seen, although it felt like ages since she'd last been here.

She walked on unsteady feet into the room, taking in each detail.

She had an ominous feeling that she wouldn't see this room for long, that this place, and this man, would slip through her fingers like water.

Everything she came to care about, came to find comfort in, it all went away at some point.

She stared out the opened shoji screens at the setting sun, bathed in it's strong rays.

The heat was almost uncomfortable.

She idly watched Haku open the door to his bedroom, gesturing inwards.

"You're belongings are here."

With more ease than she expected, she retreated from the sunlight, and slipped past the male into his room.

She found no trepidation upon seeing the bed linens folded down, or seeing a fresh set of clothes neatly stacked by her shoddy bag.

"Do you remember where the wash room is?" He was quiet, almost shy. But that couldn't be!

She started to shake her head no, but then stopped.

She did remember.

"Sorry, yes." She felt her eyes prick, a tell-tale sign of tears, and she huffed in exasperation, rubbing her face.

"Sorry, I'm just... I can't... This is..." She couldn't form the words to express herself.

A gentle hand cupped the side of her face, and she looked up to eyes that had to be just as confused as hers.

"Be calm. You are not the only one who is struggling. You will feel better after some sleep." He turned away from her, and she caught his wrist.

"And you? When will you feel better?" She asked. She had not meant to voice the words running through her head. She had not meant to grab him, to ask him such a personal question.

She dropped his arm quickly.

He smiled, patted her on the head once more, and closed the door on the room.

* * *

She woke to blankets she was not familiar with. They were heavy and silky, a dark grey with copious amounts of matching pillows. The bed was massive and she struggled to throw the blankets back, instead crawling out, kicking her limbs one way then the other to escape.

The floors were cool under foot as she passed into the sitting room, admiring the pre-dawn sky visible from the wide open screens. It was crisp in the rooms and she wrapped her arms around herself to stave off the chill.

A few steps closer to the balcony revealed that there was a light dusting of white coating most every surface.

Snow.

A chill not from the cold slid down her spine.

Was she dreaming again?

She'd never dreamt of waking up before. It was always her just opening her eyes, being where she was, no more or less.

His presence permeated the room.

Was it his magic?

Or that he was very much a predator?

Maybe both?

Turning slowly, taking in every detail of the room she thought she had memorized, she knew she'd find him seated behind the dark wood desk in his office.

Everything was clearer, more crisp and in attention. It was as if she had been viewing through smoke, the images in her head of this place a foggy excuse for memory.

He was indeed behind his desk, but he was different than she expected him to look. His dark hair was pulled back out of his face, sleeves rolled to his elbows, and he was toying with a cup of what looked to be tea if the steam was to go by.

"You're real!" She gasped, dropping to her bottom suddenly. He looked at her then, as if he'd been waiting for her to acknowledge him before he dared look. His face was passive, but she thought she could see amusement in his eyes.

"I maintain that I have _always_ been real." He drawled, leaning back into his chair. She looked around wildly, pressing her hands to the polished floor, smelling the same sweet wax she'd smelled the night prior on the lower floors.

"I'm actually here!" She exclaimed, pressing her hands to her face, overcome with emotion.

Suddenly, she sat up, shuffled forward on her knees.

"My name!" Her gaze found his and she briefly wondered at his still passive features. "My name is Sen!"

He nodded once, but said nothing as she struggled with memories, trying to sort through the strongest of them.

She wandered from bedroom to sitting room, from office to balcony, back and fourth, like a ghost. Her mind was overwhelmed with information, working to re-sort itself with her past life. There were still large gapes between memories, but she'd been able to piece most of it together.

Haku had given her space, and encouraged her to eat, that it would ground her and give her strength. After their brief conversation before the sun rose, she'd only been able to ask him a few questions when a memory proved too confusing. He had answered most everything, despite being rather vague a few times. She could forgive him if he did not know.

And she was surprised by the force of affection she felt for the man.

He was a friend, one that had saved her at one point.

She didn't know what he'd done, or why she'd needed saving, but it seemed to be a habit of his, saving her.

And she'd saved him.

She could remember them flying, the wind whipping through her hair, eyes tearing, and then she was staring into his face, brighter than she'd ever seen it before, eyes shining. She'd returned something to him, something dire, something he needed.

After some carefully thought out questions that he answered easily, she was surprised to find she'd _returned_ his _name_.

Was that why he felt so obligated to do the same for her? Was he tied to her because he shared the same fate as her?

* * *

In between meals and wanderings, she slept, waking dazed each time, unbelieving that she was truly where she was.

More than once, she'd asked about Nise, or Yubaba, or Rin, but Haku had told her she needed time to sort herself out first before anyone would come knocking.

* * *

After a few days of this, she was becoming rather antsy. Each time she laid her head down, closed her eyes, she expected to wake up in the Inn, Master Kōsen leaning over her, his unbearable heat pressing down all over.

Maybe she was fading? Was this what it felt like? Being consumed in memories. She ought to have faded already, Phu and the Smoke Man had said as much. Her contract at the Ni~Tsu no nokori teishi had been burned in the fire, that was why she couldn't remember the name Master Kōsen had given her unless someone told her.

Phu had never asked, he hadn't wanted to know her name. The Smoke Man hadn't either, she was just Phu's charge to him.

But Haku, she had told him, she had told him the name she was called at the Inn. He had told her then that it wasn't her true name, had reminded her that she was missing her name.

Now, she had it back, Haku had returned it to her.

Sen.

Her name was Sen.

 _You're name is Sen. Answer me Sen!_

 _What's your name?_

 _It's...oh...it's Sen..._

A niggling deep in her belly stirred, like she wasn't seeing something right in front of her eyes, but the feeling passed.

Maybe if she asked Haku, he would tell her what name Master Kōsen had given her.

Looking about the room, she found it devoid of life besides her.

Haku had left to do, whatever, hours ago. He had said to wait for him here, that he would return in time for dinner.

With a sigh, she settled down. It was still some hours until then.

 _Get up._

She found her feet, not realizing she was moving until her hand rested on the knob of the door.

"I'm supposed to stay here..." She said aloud, but her muscles were moving without her control, and the door opened easily.

Peeking around the corner, she wasn't that surprised to find the hall deserted. There were lamps lit, but the shadows crept around the corners.

She peered the other way, the hall shrouded in complete darkness.

 _Definitely not going that way._

She stepped away from the door, taking carefully quiet steps as she headed for the elevator. Maybe she could just meet Haku on the lower floors. He couldn't be too mad about that. She could say she was merely looking for him, to answer a question...

The lame embarrassment curled in her stomach. Did she need an excuse to see him? She wasn't sure what they were to one another. Friends? Strangers? Enemies?

He had been politely distant the past few days, relinquishing his room to her. Where he slept was a mystery to her. She found herself questioning whether he slept at all, but shook that off as silliness. Everything and everyone needed sleep.

She came upon the lift, but couldn't force herself to enter. Instead, she turned, continuing down the way she headed.

Abruptly, the wooden floors turned to stone, icy to her feet. The walls turned ornate, and...bright...? She couldn't think of a better word to describe the riot of colors and textures. She came upon a set of doors with a gold knocker embedded in the center that looked like a face.

After glancing around surreptitiously, finding no one, and swallowing to steel her nerves, she grasped the knocker lightly, and gave it one good hard 'thump'.

She jumped back when the eyes rolled, fearing she'd broken it.

 _Aren't you even going to knock?_

She blinked, the memory slipping through her mind. She waited for the knocker face to speak, but it merely rolled it's eyes again, and the door swung open.

"Come in." A voice called, echoing along the garish walls. "I haven't got all day."

Swallowing thickly, and fisting her hands in her shirt, she took a tentative step forward.

She'd been here before, had been through these overly lavish halls. But she'd been pulled, or she thought she'd been pulled through.

She knew who waited for her at the end, the witch, Yubaba.

Despite knowing what she knew, despite the memories that had returned with the acquisition of her name, she was still taken aback by the witch.

She had enough mind to offer a bow, despite not understanding why her body moved automatically. The witch regarded her from behind a table, a jewel glass pinched in her large fingers, a bright red stone resting before her.

"I always said a few years of servitude was good for the soul. Teaches respect, manners." The witch was studying her up and down, her interest in her jewels lost for the moment.

She knew it was only temporary.

If she could remember one thing about Yubaba, it was her greed. But perhaps she'd changed in the years since... since when?

Her memory was still foggy around the edges, and some memories did not connect to others. It was like trying to put together a puzzle without all the pieces, just empty space where there should have been an image.

"Well, he's kept you secreted away long enough, it's about time you got out." The witch drawled, drawing a long cigarette from a case.

"Who, Haku?" Her lips felt numb as she spoke. The woman took a long drag on the cigarette, allowing the smoke to stream out her nostrils.

There was no way to stop herself from jumping when the woman cackled.

"I can hardly believe it is you, it has been a long few years, perhaps the dragon will stop moping now that he knows where you are." The large woman gave another cackle and toyed with her jewel glass.

"I suppose you'll be wanting a job, though I can't imagine why I should take you back..."

She started, staring at the woman in confusion.

"I worked... for you...?"

* * *

 **The end. Haha. Just joking, but seriously, not posting again until December. Let me know if any of your are doing NaNo, you can add me there! Thank you for reading, don't forget to review!**


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